Harry and Bloom Potter
by Kisa Black
Summary: Harry was one and his new born sister was just a few weeks old. Voldy came and killed their parents. now they must live with the Durselys. Harry continues his adventures while Bloom waits for next yr. summary sux, real one inside.
1. The Boy Who Lived

**Summary: Harry was one when he became a big brother. His sibling is named Bloom. She, of course is a year younger. Harry does go to Hogwarts while Bloom still has to wait a year. They both share the cupboard. Dudley still picks on them, but not as much to Bloom as he does to Harry. While Harry's at school, he'll write to Bloom, telling her his adventures. She'll be able to visit him during vacations and be able to watch him play Quidditch. **

(A/N) I will follow the books, but it won't be word for word… but pretty damn close. I hope. This story will be Bloom's point of view, cause I'm sure you already know what happens to Harry. This will be a short story but they'll be a sequel, if you want. Going to book two, when Bloom finally get to go to Hogwarts.

The Boy Who Lived

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr. Dursley was the director of a form called, Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck but had a large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin, blonde and had nearly twice the neck, which came in useful when she spied on the neighbors. They had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion their was no finer boy anywhere.

The Dursley's had everything they ever wanted, but they also had a secret, their greatest fear was that someone would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they haven't seen each other in several years; in fact Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. They Dursley knew that the Potters had a small son too, and a new born daughter, but they had never seen them. Those children was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with children like them.

When they woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country.

At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase and left to work. It was on the corner he noticed a cat reading a map, he double check but the map was gone, he tried to scare the cat but the cat didn't even flinch.

As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people out. People in cloaks. He couldn't stand people who dressed funny.

Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't he wouldn't be able to concentrate on drills that morning, he didn't see the owls swooping pass him in broad daylight. He was in a good mood until lunch time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to the bakery. He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a lot of them by the bakery. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch was whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying:

"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"

"-Yes, their son, Harry.-"

Mr. Dursley stopped dead, fear flooded in him. He looked back, wanting to say something, but thought better of it.

He dashed back to his office and almost dialed his home number, when he changed his mind. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son named Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He never seen the boy, it might be Harvey, or Harold. He didn't even know his niece's name. there was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley, she always got upset whenever her sister was mentioned. He didn't blame her- if he had a sister like that - he left the office at five o'clock, he was still worried and walked straight into someone.

"Sorry" he grunted, as the old man almost fell.

"Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-know-who has gone at last! Even Muggles, like yourself should be celebrating, on this happy, happy day." then he hugged him and went off.

Mr. Dursley stood there shocked, a strange just hugged him and called him a muggle, whatever that was. He quickly went to his car and hurried home. The cat was still there, watching his every move when he got home.

Mrs. Dursley had a normal day, she told him about the problems the neighbors were having with their daughter and that Dudley learned a new word "won't" , when Dudley had been put to bed. Mr. Dursley went to the living and heard the last evening news: owls all over Britain? Shooting stars? People in cloaks? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters.

Mrs. Dursley came in carrying two cups of tea.

"Er- Petunia, dear.- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"

As he expect she looked shocked and angry, "No," she snapped, "why?"

"Funny stuff on the news," he mumbled, "Owls. Shooting stars. And lots of funny-looking people all around."

"So"

"Well, I just thought…maybe…it was something to do with…you know…her crowd."

She sipped her tea. Mr. Dursley wondered to whether he dared to mention he heard the name "Potter." he decided he didn't care.

"Their son- he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"

"I suppose so" she said stiffly

"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"

"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."

"Oh yes" he said as his heart sank, "yes, I agree." he bite his lip, "and the girl"

She looked at him then back at her tea, "Bloom. As in when flowers bloom… flower related."

The Dursleys got into bed, but Mr. Dursley was still awake, thinking. Even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Petunia. The Potters knew what they thought of their kind. He couldn't see how he and Petunia would get mixed into their lot- it couldn't affect them.

How very wrong he was.

A man appeared on the street, near the cat. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, where it was long enough to be tucked in his belt. he was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high heeled, buckled boots. His blue yes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked. His name was Albus Dumbledore.

The sight of the cat seemed to amuse him, he chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." he took out a silver cigarette lighter, flicked it, raised it into the air and clicked it. As he clicked it each time, the lights from the lamps disappeared into it. He turned back to the cat, "Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

The cat was now a rather severe looking women who was wearing square glasses, she was wearing an emerald cloak, her black hair in a tight bun.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." he answered

"you'll be stiff too, if you had to sit on a brick wall all day."

"all day? You should have been celebrating"

The real reason she had been waiting in the cold hard brick wall all day, for neither as a cat nor a women had she fixed Dumbledore with a piercing stare. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she wasn't going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true.

"What they're saying," she said, "is that last night, Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow, he went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are- are- that they're- dead."

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. "Lily and James… I cant believe it… I didn't want to believe it… oh Albus.."

He patted her shoulder. "I know… I know…."

Her voice trembled as she went on, "that's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry then he was going to kill little Bloom. But- he couldn't. he couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke- and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded glumly

"it's- it's true" she faltered, "after all he's done.. All the people he's killed. He couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding. Of all the things to stop him. But how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"we can only guess," Dumbledore answered, "we may never now."

"Albus…" she whispered, "what about little Bloom? She's only a few weeks old, barely three months… what happened to her?"

Dumbledore looked at the night sky, "she was unharmed." he smiled

Professor McGonagall sighed in relief, 'those poor children…too young to be without their parents. What would happen to them now?,' she dabbed her tears as Dumbledore took out his watch.

"Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here."

"Yes" she answered, "and I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here?"

"I've come to bring Harry and Bloom to their aunt and uncle, they're the only family they have left now."

"You don't mean- you can't mean the people who live here!" she cried, pointing to the house, "you can't, I've been watching them all day. They're awful. Harry and Bloom Potter come and live here!"

"It's the best place for them." he said firmly, "their aunt and uncle will be able to explain to them when they're older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" she repeated, "really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? There people will never understand them! Harry will be famous- a legend- I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future- there will be books about him and his family- even child in our world will know his name and Bloom's, she also survived him."

"Exactly," he said, " it would be enough to turn any child's head. Famous before they can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off they'll be, growing up away from all that until they're ready to take it?"

She opened her mouth, but changed her mind, "Yes-yes, you're right, of course. But how are they getting here, Dumbledore?" she eyed his cloak, thinking he had them hidden.

"Hagrid's bringing them."

"You think it- wise- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life."

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," she said grudgingly, "but you cant pretend he's not careless. He does tend to- what was that?"

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of highlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky- and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting on it. He was almost twice the size as a normal man and at least five times wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild- ling tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids and his feet in their leather boot were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding two small bundles of blankets.

"Hagrid," Dumbledore said, sounding relieved, "at last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sire" Hagrid answered, "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got them, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No sir- house was almost destroyed, but I got them out in right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. They fell asleep as we were flyin' over Bristol."

Both professors bent forward over the bundles of blankets. Inside, just visible was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where-?" McGonagall whispered

"Yes," Dumbledore answered, "he'll have it forever"

"Couldn't you do something about it?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. scars can come in hand. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of London Underground. Well pass him here, Hagrid. Professor McGonagall can you please get Bloom"

She nodded.

She looked down at the little girl in her arms. Flaming red hair sat on top of her head.

Then they turned to the house.

"Could I- could I say goodbye to them, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great shaggy head over each of them, one at a time. He gave them a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" McGonagall hissed, "you'll wake up the Muggles."

"S-s-orry," he sobbed, "but I can't stand it - Lily and James dead- an' poor Harry and Bloom off ter live with Muggles-"

"yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid, with one hand.

They walked quietly to the door, and place the small bundles on the door step. Dumbledore took out the letter and place it in Harry's blankets. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked down at the small bundles; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

"Well," said Dumbledore, "that's that/ we've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations"

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professors."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect. Professor." said Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

Dumbledore return the light to the lamps. Privet Drive was now glowing orange. He looked back and looked at the bundles of blanket.

"Good Luck, Harry… and you too, Bloom." he murmured, he turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry rolled over on his side making him get closer to his sister. One small had closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he and his sister would be woken in a few hours time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he and Bloom would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… he couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter- the boy who lived!"

**(A/n) oh please review, I know its just the beginning. But I want to get ideas from you guys. I'll try to update it soon, probably within a few days. Not weeks. Ummm. I thinks that's all for now…. Please review…**


	2. The Vanishing Glass

The Vanishing Glass

Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursley's had woken up to find their nephew and niece on their front step. Everything in Privet Drive number four was still the same. The only difference was that the photographs on the mantelpiece showed a blonde boy growing up. There was no other proof that another boy and a girl lived there, but there were. Harry and Bloom Potter were still there.

Dudley was no longer a baby, the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bike, playing at the fair. The photos didn't show Harry or Bloom. Yet they were still there. At the moment they were asleep, but not for long. Their aunt Petunia was always the first noise in the morning.

"Up! Get up Now!"

Harry and Bloom woke with a start, as their aunt rapped on the door again.

"Up!" she yelled, and hurried into the kitchen.

"How did you sleep?" Harry asked his younger sister.

She turned to her brother with a smile, "The same as always."

He nodded, "I had a weird dream, Bloom" Bloom turned to look at him again, "it was about a flying motorcycle…"

She smiled again, "I had a dream about a dog… like he was ours… oh well, it was only a dream."

Their aunt came back, "Are you two up yet?"

Bloom answered 'yes' while Harry said 'nearly'.

"Well, get a move on. Harry set the table, Bloom look after the bacon, and don't let it burn." she snapped, "everything has to be prefect for Dudley's birthday."

Harry groaned.

"What did you say?" Aunt Petunia yelled

"Nothing Auntie, we'll be out in a minute" Bloom yelled kindly, hoping Harry wouldn't get into trouble.

Dudley's birthday was always a pain for them, Dudley got whatever he wanted, no matter what he asks for. As Harry got off the bed and began to look for socks, while Bloom made their small bed, which they had to share. Harry finally found a pair under their bed, he had to remove a spider for them, but he was used to them, though Bloom still freaked out when they were really big. They lived in the cupboard under the stairs, which was really small. And it was full of spiders.

When they finished getting ready, they walked to the kitchen. The table was almost hidden behind all of Dudley's presents: new computer, new games, toy plane and a bicycle, why would Dudley need a bicycle, he hates exercising, unless it's punching someone, like Harry. Though he could never catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.

Harry has always been small and thin for his age, he looked especially small in Dudley's old clothes. Harry had a thin face, knobby knees, black hair that went everywhere and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of scotch tape, thanks to the many times Dudley had broken them. The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on forehead, it looked like a lightning bolt. He had had it as long as he can remember, and the first question he ever asked his aunt was how he gotten it.

"In the car crash," she would snap, "when your parents died, no more questions."

There was a rule for Harry and Bloom, they weren't allowed to ask questions.

"Comb your hair!" Uncle Vernon yelled at Harry.

No matter what they did, his hair would never lay flat. his hair just grew like that- all over the place.

Bloom, on the other hand, was different. She was now 10, her birthday was on July 2. Bloom had waist length flaming red hair, it wasn't perfectly straight, it had a bit of a wave to it. She was faired skin and her eyes were the same shape as Harry's but his were green while hers were hazel. Like her brother, she always was smaller and thin than other girls her age. She got most of her clothes of Aunt Petunia's box. She gave her a box with clothes that fit her just a little big, but otherwise it was fine, the colors even matched her hair. People often told her she was pretty but Dudley's friend would hit them for some reason.

Harry sat down beside Bloom and began to eat their breakfast, when Dudley came in, he started counting his presents. He began to cry when he noticed he had two less than last year. Aunt Petunia quickly told him that they would buy him two more present when they went out, making Harry roll his eyes. Just then the phone rang and she ran to get it. Dudley began to open his gifts.

When Petunia came back, she looked angry and worried.

"Bad news, Mrs. Figg's broke her leg. She can't take them." she jerked her head at Harry and Bloom.

Dudley's mouth open in horror, while Harry and Bloom leaped for joy in the inside. They felt sorry for Mrs. Figgs but they quickly remembered her making them learn all her cats names that they quickly left guilt behind.

"We can phone Marge." Uncle Vernon suggested.

"Don't be silly, she hates them." Petunia snapped.

"You can leave us here" Harry suggested, while Bloom prayed for it.

"And come back to find the house in ruins?" Aunt Petunia snapped.

"We'll have to take them, and leave them in the car." Petunia said.

"The car is new," Vernon started, "they won't be there alone."

Dudley started to cry, telling his parents the Harry and Bloom always ruin everything, just then the door bell rang and Piers Polkiss, Dudley's best friend came in. Dudley stopped crying right away.

"Hello everyone" Piers yelled, then looked at Bloom. Harry noticed so he grabbed Bloom's hand and pull her behind him. Piers growled at Harry. And Harry glared at him.

Soon it was noticed that Bloom and Harry would join them, they sat at the back with Dudley and Piers, Harry made sure Bloom wasn't near Piers.

As they walked to the entrance Uncle Vernon pulled Bloom and Harry back.

"I'm warning both of you now… any fun business. Any at all, and you two will be in that cupboard for weeks."

They walked all around the zoo, they even got ice cream, a very cheap ice cream for Bloom and Harry. But it was still good. Piers offered Bloom some of his.

"Oh no thank you…" she said with a smile, though she was really uncomfortable.

"Bloom! Over here" Harry yelled.

She quickly ran to her brother and thanked him for saving her. He pointed at a gorilla that looked a lot like Dudley only it wasn't blonde. After lunch they went to the Reptile house. Dudley and Piers were staring at a snake that wasn't doing much, they quickly got bored and went to see another one.

Harry and Bloom stayed behind, the snake looked up at them and winked. Both of them gasped.

"I get it all the time" said a little voice.

Both Harry and Bloom froze, how could both of them hear it? The snake was talking to them.

"Where are you from?" Harry asked.

The snake pointed with it's to a sign: Brazil

"Was it nice there?"

Again it pointed, 'bred in the zoo'

"oh"

"We lost our parents too." Bloom whispered.

Just then Dudley came running and punched Harry out of the way, causing Harry to fall down.

"Harry!" Bloom yelled and ran to his side, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine..." they both turned to Dudley and Piers and glared, then out of no where. The glass disappeared and both boys fell in. The snake that was talking to the Potters came out and went towards Bloom and Harry, who were so shocked they didn't move.

"Brazil, here I come…..Thanks amigos" then it left, scaring whoever came too close.

When they got to the car, Dudley and Piers went on and on about what happened. Changing things to make them look heroic. Harry hoped they wouldn't get blamed for anything.

Then Piers opened his mouth, "Harry and Bloom were talking to it. Right guys."

Vernon turned really red. As soon as Piers left he turned to Harry and Bloom, he was so mad he couldn't talk. "CUPBOARD-NOW!- NO MEALS!"

They had lived ten years with the Dursleys, ever since they're parents were killed in a crash car. Harry remembered seeing green light and a burning feeling on his forehead, he supposed it was the crash. Bloom couldn't remember anything at all, she was only three months. Sometimes at night she'll start screaming, no matter what they did, they couldn't wake her. Harry would just hold her until she clamed down. Then the next morning she wouldn't remember anything. They weren't allowed to ask about their parents and the Dursleys didn't have any photos of them.

They often dreamt of an unknown relative that could take them away, but it was only a dream. The Dursleys were the only family they had left. Yet strangers would come up to them, they would bid them good day, shake their hands, wave at them, one if bowed. Whenever that happened, their aunt and uncle would quickly grab them and run home. Ordering them to never talk to those people again.

At school Harry had no one, expect his sister. And she only had one friend, for now, her name was Cynthia but she would be moving at the end of school. No one talked to the Potters, since Dudley's gang hated him. And no one messed with Dudley's gang.

(A/n) hey everyone! Or anybody. I'm sick… and mother nature sucks. The next chapter is gonna be when they all have to run from the owls, tell me what you think of this story so far, and please give me ideas…


	3. Letters From No One

Letters from No One

Harry and Bloom's punishment was the longest ever, when they were finally allowed to go out it was the end of school. Harry and Bloom were glad that school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang that always came over. The gang always tired to hit Harry, when Bloom wasn't in the room, but Dudley didn't care. For some reason they never hit him in front of her, Harry and Bloom noticed this, it got Harry angry, but Bloom was a little confused.

One night, when they were going to sleep Bloom told Harry that she wasn't going to leave his side, especially when Dudley's friends were over.

"No, Bloom." he started, "I'm no going to hide behind you." he smiled at her, "beside, they hardly never catch me…"

She looked at him, "please Harry, let me do this for you." she looked at him with pleading eyes, "you're always protecting me, this time let me protect you…" she gave him the puppy look.

Harry groaned, "fine."

She smiled, "I knew that look would work," she had plan on the look from the beginning.

Harry and Bloom spent as much time as possible out of the house. When September came he would be off to middle school, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley nor Bloom. Bloom was on her last year in elementary while Dudley was accepted to Uncle Vernon's old private school: Smelting.

Piers was also going.

When July came, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his uniform, while Harry and Bloom stayed with Mrs. Figgs, who hasn't too fond of her cats anymore. She let them watch television and even gave them a piece of old cake.

That evening, Dudley and Piers (yes I changed it a little) paraded around the house wearing his new uniform: maroon tailcoats, orange knicker bucker, and a flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried a walking stick, that they used to hit each other when the teachers weren't looking.

Piers stood in front of Bloom trying to show off, while she was trying not to laugh at them. "Don't I look great?" he asked her.

She didn't trust herself to speak so she just nodded and turned to Harry, who was glaring at the boy. It was bad enough he hit on her when he wasn't there, though he knew Piers was hitting on her. But did he have to hit on her when he was standing right there?

When Piers left, Aunt Petunia busted into tears, saying her little Dudleykin was all grown up and so handsome, while uncle Vernon said this was the proudest moment of his life. Harry and Bloom left the room, trying not to laugh.

The next morning, Harry and Bloom walked into the kitchen to be hit in the face with an awful smell. Aunt Petunia explained she was dyeing Dudley's old clothes for Harry.

Uncle Vernon and Dudley came in, who had his stick with him, wrinkled their noses because of the smell. They heard a small click, the mail had arrived.

"Get the mail, Dudley" uncle Vernon said

"Make Harry get it"

"Get the mail, Harry"

"Make Dudley get it"

"Hit him with your stick Dudley."

Harry ran out and didn't notice that Bloom caught the stick before Dudley could hit him.

"Please Dudley.." she whispered kindly, "don't hit him…" she made sure her aunt and uncle weren't look, "or you will pay for it." her face was blank and her eyes stared down at him, making him feel small. She let go of the stick before Dudley or anyone noticed what happened.

Harry picked up the mail, three letters to be exact: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge. A bill. And a letter for Harry. How could he gotten a letter? He had no friend? No living relatives, who would write to him. Yet here was a letter addressed plainly to him:

Mr. H. Potter

The cupboard under the stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment and address was written in emerald greenish ink. There was no stamp, turning it over, he saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a larger letter H.

"Hurry up boy!" uncle Vernon yelled

Harry walked back and handed the other letters to his uncle, he sat down next to Bloom again.

"What is that?" she asked him in a hushed voice.

"Don't know"

He was about to open it when Dudley shouted, "Dad! Harry got something!" and ripped it out of Harry's hands. And passed it to his father.

"Hey!" Bloom shouted, "That's Harry's! Give it back!" she usually never shouted, only when she was really angry.

"That's mine!" Harry shouted

"Who would write to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon. He looked at the letter, his face went form red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there, he turned grayish white.

"P-P-Petunia" he gasped

Dudley tried to get it, but his father moved it quickly, Petunia took it and gasped. She looked like she would faint.

"Vernon! Oh my goodness-Vernon!"

They ignored the others, Dudley wasn't used to being ignored, so he hit his father with his stick.

"I want to read that letter," he said loudly

"I want to read it," Harry said furiously, "as it's mine."

"Give him his letter" Bloom said

"OUT-NOW!" uncle Vernon grabbed both Harry and Dudley and threw them out the door, then grabbed Bloom and sent her flying, she landed on Harry, who landed on Dudley.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked her. After Dudley pushed them off and ran to the door.

"Yeah…" she looked at him sadly, "sorry I couldn't get your letter…" she looked down.

"Don't worry… we'll get it somehow."

They placed their ears by the door, hoping to hear something.

"Vernon, look at the address, you don't think they're watching the house?"

"Watching-spying-might be following us."

"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want-"

"No, no. we'll ignore it. If they don't get answer….Yes, we won't do anything…"

"But.."

"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we sear when we took them in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"

That evening uncle Vernon did something, he had never done, he visited his nephew and niece under the cupboard.

"Where's Harry's letter?" Bloom asked,

"Who's writing to me?" Harry asked

"NO one. It was addressed to you by mistake. I have burned it." Uncle Vernon answered.

"It wasn't a mistake!" Bloom yelled

"it made my cupboard on it!" Harry yelled at the same time.

"SILENCE!" uncle Vernon yelled. He took a few breathes then forced a smile on his ugly face.

"Er-yes- about your cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinkg… you're really getting a bit big for it…. We think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second room."

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions! Get up there now!"

It only took Harry and Bloom one trip to take all their stuff up stairs.

As the days went by, more and more letters came. Uncle Vernon was trying very hard to be nice to them. Whatever was in those letters they didn't want them to know. It got to the point when uncle Vernon made everyone pack their clothes and leave the house. Everywhere they went there was a letter the next day. Harry and Bloom tried really hard do get one, but uncle Vernon would grab it. In the car he would take sharp turns out of no where.

"Shake 'em off…shake' em off…"

Finally uncle Vernon found the perfect place, it was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon pointed at what looked like a large rock way out to the sea. There was a small house out there.

That night there was a storm. Dudley's parents slept upstairs, in the only bed. Downstairs, Dudley slept on the coach, while Harry and Bloom slept on the floor.

Harry drew a happy birthday cake on the sand. While Bloom drew eleven candies..

"It's almost your birthday…"

"Yeah… another year closer to freedom…"

She smiled, "I know"

Twenty…..ten….nine…maybe they'll wake Dudley up, just to annoy him- three…two…one…

BOOM!

There was a loud knock that made Harry and Bloom jump up. Harry pulled Bloom behind him. They looked up, there was someone outside.


	4. The Keeper of the Keys

The Keeper of the Keys

BOOM

They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.

"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.

There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands-now they knew what had been in long thin package he had brought with them.

"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you-I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then-

SMASH

The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face already completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled bread, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.

"Couldn't make up a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…."

He walked towards the sofa, where Dudley froze with fear. As he got closer Dudley ran to his parents and hid behind them.

"An here's Harry and Little Bloom…." said the giant.

They both looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.

"Last time I saw you two, you were only babies," the giant said, "Ah… Harry, yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes." he turned to Bloom, "Yeh, on the other hand, look like yer mom but got yer dad's eyes… like yeh two flipped them."

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" Uncle Vernon yelled, "you are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant. He reached over the sofa and bent the rifle then threw it across the room. Uncle Vernon made a funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.

"Anyway- Harry," said the giant, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it's taste all right."

From an inside pocket, he pulled out a squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.

Harry looked up to thank the giant but said, "Who are you?"

"Harry! Manners." Bloom hissed.

The giant chuckled. "it all right, Bloom." he smiled at them, " Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

Hargid took out a kettle, sausages, plates and three mugs. He set a fire using his umbrella. Behind them, they could hear, "Don't eat anything he gives you Dudley!"

Hagrid chuckled darkly, "Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."

He passed the sausages to Harry and Bloom, who were so hungry they never tasted something so wonderful, after a few bites Bloom said, "Sorry, but-um- we're still not sure who you are?"

"Call me Hagrid, everyone does. An' like I told yeh, Im the keeper at Hogwarts. Yeh two know all about Hogwarts, o' course."

Bloom and Harry looked at each other, "Er-no."

Hagrid looked shocked

"Sorry"

"Sorry?" Hagrid barked, "it's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh getting getting yer letters but I never thought.. but you can't go without knowing. Didn't' you ever wonder where yer parents learn it all?"

"All what?"

"ALL WHAT?" Hargid screamed, he turned to Dursleys. "Do you mean to tell me, that they don't know anything about anything!"

Bloom and Harry thought it was a bit unfair, they knew things. "We know things, Hagrid," Bloom said, "We know Math and English."

"About our world, yer world, yer parnets world."

"What world?" they both asked.

"DURSLEY!"

Uncle Vernon was really pale now.

Hargid turned back to them, "but yeh must know about yer mom and dad. They're famous, yeh two are famous."

"What? Our parents weren't famous… were they?

"Yeh two don' know….." Hagrid said. "Yeh two don' know what yeh are?"

"Stop!" yelled uncle Vernon causing them to jump from shock. "I forbid you to tell the anything!"

"Yeh never told them? Never told him what the letter said? I was there. I saw Dumbledore put it there."

"Kept what from us?"

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!"

"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh. Harry yer a wizard. Bloom yer a witch."

There was a silence all around.

"I'm a what?" they both said.

"A wizard and witch, an' a thumpin good'un. With a mom an' dad like yours. Harry, yeh of age to go to Hogwarts, Bloom, yeh not ready yet. When yer eleven yeh will go too. Harry it's time to read your letter"

(imagine the letter here… )

"Wait my owl? What's that mean?"

"Oh that reminds me" Hagrid pulled out an owl, wrote a bit then sent it off with the owl. "Now where was I?"

"He's not going!" yelled uncle Vernon

"Like a muggle like you stop them."

"A what?"

"Nonmagic folk"

"We swore when we took them in that we would put a stop on this rubbish!" uncle Vernon yelled, "swore we'd stamp it out of them!"

"You knew?" Bloom said

"Knew?" Aunt petunia shrieked, "of course we knew! How could you two not be, my dratted sister being what she was?- oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that- that school- and came back every vacation with things! I was the only one that saw her for what she really was- a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud to have a witch in the family!" she took a breath, she's been wanting to say this for years.

"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you two, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as- as- abnormal- and them, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

Harry and Bloom had gone very white. Silent tears filled Bloom's eyes. Tears filled with shock and sadness.

"Blown up? You told me that they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, "how could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry and Bloom Potter not known' their own story when every kid in our world knows their name!"

"But why? What happened?" Harry hugged Bloom.

Hagrid gave the Dursley's a dirty look, then turned back to them. He pulled up a handkerchief and gave it to Bloom to wipe her tears.

"it begins, with a wizard, no one like talking about it. We're still scared. You see, he went really bad, as bad as you can go. His name was…."

"Could you write it down?"

"na can't spell it, oh alright. Voldemort, not make me say it again. Anyways, this wizard about twenty years ago now, started looking for followers, got them too. Dark days, didn't know who to trust. He was takin' over, anyone who stood up to him was killed. didn't try to take Hogwarts, cause he scared of Dumbledore. Now, yer mom and dad were as good a witch an wizard as I ever knew, Head boy and girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the mystery is why you-know-who never tried to get them on his side. Probably knew they were too close to Dumbledore. Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outtat the way. all anyone knows is, he turned up in the village you lived when you were one yea old Harry, Bloom was 3 months. On Halloween then years ago. He came ter yer house an'- an'"

"No!" Bloom cried, her tears came out faster now.

Hagrid pulled out another handherchief, "sorry- but its that sad- knew yer mum and dad, an' nicer people yeh could find-anyways. You-know-who killed 'em. An' then- an this is the real mystery. He tried to kill yeh both, but he couldn't that's why yer famous. That cut on Harry's forehead is no normal cut, it's a cut when yeh've been touch by dark magic. Took yeh mom an' dad an' yer house. No one lived once he decided to kill them, expect yeh two. The best witches and wizard around were killed, Mckinnons, Bones, Prewetts. Yeh two were only babies, yet survived."

Harry and Bloom stood frozen solid. For the first time in their lives, they remembered something besides the green light. A high, cold, cruel laugh. How could Bloom remember that when she was just a baby. Only 3 months old, yet there are some things that stay with you forever.

Uncle Vernon was going on and on about their parents, but Bloom wasn't listening. She was too sad to listen. She heard Hagrid yell but she ignored it. Angrier and angrier she got. She snapped her head up when they insulted her parents.

She glared at them "do-not-insult-my-PARENTS!" she yelled, she caused a firey dome around her and it expanded it. It didn't burn Harry nor Hagrid, though it burned the sofa. As quickly as it came it went out.

It was quiet again.

"See!" Hagrid said, "keep insulting her parents and next time it'll be you… treat her unfairly again and you'll have it."

The Dursely's ran out of the room.

"Bloom," Harry whispered, "are you okay?"

I shocked her head, "No, its not fair. What did our parents ever do to… it's not fair." she cried, "it's not fair…"

Harry hugged her, then she felt a warm cover around her. She looked up to see Hagrid wrap his coat on them. "Bloom, yeh not ready to go yet, but I've been told that yeh be able to visit Harry. Even during Vacations. Alright?"

After a while, they settled down for the night.


	5. Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley

Harry woke up the next morning.

"It was a dream," he told himself, he noticed that Bloom was still asleep. "I dreamt a giant called Hagrid came and told me I was a wizard…" he opened his eyes once more to see a heavy coat on him… no just him, Bloom too.

There was a tapping sound. He sat up to see a owl tapping the window, he turned around to see Hagrid. it wasn't a dream!

He got up and walked to Hagrid, "Hargid! There's an owl!"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted.

"What?"

"He wants to get paid… check the pockets….give him 5 knuts"

"Knuts?"

"Little bronze ones."

Harry searched the pockets, after a few minutes he finally found what he was looking for.

He paid the owl and it flew off.

Hagrid began to get up, "Better get really."

Harry nodded and went to wake up Bloom.

"Bloom, wake up sissy." he rubbed her back.

She moaned as she sat up, "Why so early?" she opened her eyes and saw Hagrid. "Hagrid! You're really here? I thought I dreamt it."

Hagrid chuckled.

Hagird fed them and they talked for a bit. "Why can't I go to Hogwarts?" Bloom asked.

Hagrid smiled, "Yeh can go, but not yet. Next year. But I promise, I'll ask Professor Dumbledore if yeh can visit during breaks. I know yeh don't want to send them here"

"Thank you."

After breakfast, Hagrid told them to go outside, they got outside to see a big motorcycle, Bloom and Harry gasped. It was the black from their dream. How was that possible?

It had a side car to it. Both of them were small enough to fit in it. Then they were off, Hagrid told them that they were heading to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hagrid, how are we supposed to pay for our things? We don't have any money." Harry stated

"Don't worry. Yeh didn't think yeh'r parents left you anything? We're going to Gringotts, run by goblins."

"Goblins?"

"Yeah, though they're a bit. Yeh be mad to rob them. It's guarded by almost everything, even dragons… I'll like a dragon."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

In the Leaky Cauldron, everyone stopped to look at the Potter siblings. Shaking Harry's hand and beaming at Bloom. Lots of females were in tears, they mostly looked at them sadly. After a few minutes, which felt like hours to the Siblings, they went into a room where there was a brick wall. Hagrid tapped it a few times and the wall began to move. It revealed a city. A magical city.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

It was amazing, some many things to see and not enough time.

"What's that Hagrid?" Bloom asked, pointing at a huge white building.

"That's Gringotts."

They walked up the stairs. And gasped, Goblins. Everywhere. It was a sight to see. They really did look like goblins. And it was a bit scary. They walked up to one. Hagrid talked to him for a bit then another one came and led them to a cart.

It reminded them of a rollercoaster. Not something Bloom liked. She held tightly to Hagrid. Harry on the other hand, was having fun. Looking around and leaning on the cart. Making Bloom really nervous. When they got to their vault they stood frozen. It was full of gold silver and the knuts. It was….. Amazing. How could the Dursleys not know about this? It was probably a good thing or they would have taken it all. Hagrid helped them fill a few bags.

Looking at his list, they went to the shops, when they went to get his uniform, Hagrid went off to get them a birthday present, since he missed Blooms.

In the shop, was a blonde boy he stood on a stool as a lady pin his uniform.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes." Harry answered.

"My father is next door buying my books and my mother is up the street looking at wands. Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I think I'll bully them to let me smuggle on it somehow."

Harry and Bloom didn't like this boy, he reminded them of Dudley.

"Have you got a broom?"

"No."

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No."

"I do - Father says I will join the team." he said, "do you know what house you'll be in?"

The boy went on and on, Bloom was lucky to tune him out. She glared at him when he insulted Hagrid.

After getting Harry's uniform, they went to the ice cream store.

"Happy Birthday!" Hagrid beamed at them.

He gave Harry a owl, and pass a small box to Bloom, she opened it to see a necklace, it had a silver lily charm.

Lily…. like mom.

Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you, Hagrid!" and hugged him.

Next they went to get Harry a wand. This was the part both of them were looking forward too. It took ages for Harry to get a wand. Mr. Ollivander told them that Harry and Lord Voldemort's wand were brothers. And that Harry was to grow up to do great things.

Hagrid gave Harry his school ticket, and dropped them off at a train station.

"What do you think of this?" Bloom asked Harry.

"I'm nervous, everyone thinks I'm great."

Bloom smiled, "Harry you are great. You're the best brother ever. You stopped Voldemort, the monster that killed our- parents… you're my hero. You'll do fine."

Harry smiled at her, "What about you though?" he asked, "You're going to be alone with them!"

"OH don't worry. Hagrid told me I can visit you whenever I want. He'll come get me. And during Christmas break I'll visit you. I want to see the school."

"Yeah… I can't wait until we've both at the school."

"Me neither," she smiled evilly, "I'll get to tease you…"

"Oi!"


	6. Journey From Platform Nine and Three Qua

Harry's last month with Bloom and the Dursley's wasn't fun. Dudley was so scared of being alone with them, he would run out of the room. Harry and Bloom mostly stayed in their room with Hedwig, Harry's Owl. Bloom read nearly every textbook Harry had, she was now reading Hogwarts, A History where she got Hedwig's name from.

Everyday Harry would pulled down a number on the calendar, but never when Bloom was watching. He was going to miss his sister dearly, he wanted her to go with him but there was nothing he could do. Hagrid promised to bring her whenever she wanted to come. But he was going to miss her, she was always with him.

On the last day of August, Harry and Bloom went to talk to their uncle. They needed a ride to the train station. Even if Bloom couldn't go to Hogwarts just yet, she would come to see him off. And nothing was going to stop her.

"Er- Uncle Vernon?" said Harry

Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening

"Could you give us a ride to the train station tomorrow?"

Uncle Vernon grunted again. Harry took it as a yes.

"Thank you" Bloom said

"Funny way to get wizards school, the train. Where is this school anyway?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"I don't know" Harry answered, he never really thought of it.

As they went back to their room, Bloom said, "Scotland"

"What?"

"That's where Hogwarts is… it said so in the book…. Hogwarts A History….. You should really read your books, you know." she answered.

"I'll read it at school…"

"Whatever you say."

The next morning, Harry woke up at 5 O'clock in the morning. Not wanting to wake Bloom up, he began to read his Defense Against the Dark Arts book. He found it really interesting. He checked his list of supplies twice, checked his robes and fed Hedwig. Two hours later, everyone was up and in the car. The Dursley's were going to get Dudley's tail removed.

"Well, there you go Boy. Platform 9- platform 10, your platform should be in between, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?" uncle Vernon said. "well have a good term. Bloom, you'll have to take the bus to the house. And stay in your room." with that he turned around and left with his family, laughing at them.

"What do we do now?" Bloom asked

"I don't know… Hagrid didn't tell me….maybe she should ask around or something." he answered.

They looked around for anyone that had the same things as Harry.

"Harry, what if-"

At that moment a group of people passed just behind them and they caught a few words of what they were saying.

"-packed with Muggles, of course-"

They spun around quickly, the speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk just like Harry's.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boy's mother.

"Nine and three quarters!" piped a small girl, also a red-head, who was holding her mother's hand, "Mom, cant I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right Percy, you go first."

The said boy, ran with his trolley and ran to the wall that divided both platforms.

"Fred, you nest." the plump women said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy, "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred." said the boy, and off he went. His twin quickly followed.

"Excuse me!" Bloom ran to the woman.

"Oh! Hello dear" she said, "first time on the platform?"

"Oh um yes, but not for me.. My brother…." she turned to Harry, "it's just… we don't know how to.. To…"

"Get on the platform? Oh don't worry dears… you must be a first year," she said to Harry, "My son, Ron, is also a first year." Ron was long and lanky, with red hair and lot of freckles, "what you do is run straight threw between the platforms, don't be scared." the woman answered.

"Thank you."

Bloom held onto Harry.

"1...2...3... Run" Harry whispered to her.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting nest to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express.

"Wow!" Bloom gasped

Harry pushed his cart off down the platform, they passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost m y toad again!"

"Oh, Neville." they heard the elderly women say.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on,

The boy lift the box lid, the people around him shrieked and yelled.

Harry and Bloom tried to lift the trunk to the train, but wouldn't having any luck.

"Want a hand?" it was one of the red-head twins.

"Yes, please" Both Harry and Bloom answered.

"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins help Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner compartment.

"Thanks" the Potter siblings said, Harry pushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins, pointing at Harry's forehead.

"Bilmey, are you-?" said the other twin.

"He is, aren't you?" said the first twin.

"What?" said Harry

"Harry Potter"

"Oh, him." Bloom covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing at what Harry just said. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at him, Harry felt that he was getting red. He wanted to glared at Bloom, who was laughing silently at his discomfort. Then to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum."

With one last look at Harry they went off to their mother. As soon as they left Bloom left herself laugh out loud.

"It wasn't funny!"

"Yes it was… I cant believe you said that _'Oh Him!', _honestly!" she laughed out.

Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.

"Harry what are you doing?" Bloom asked.

"Shh! Listen!"

She sat next to him.

Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"_M__u__m_— geroff" He wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter _P _on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"

"Oh, are you a _prefect_, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"

"Or twice —"

"A minute —"

"All summer —"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a _prefect_," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

"It's _not funny_. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"_Harry Potter_!"

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, eh please…"

Bloom grinned at Harry's blush. "_Shut up!"_

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning."

"Poor _dear _— no wonder he and his sister were alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"_George!_"

"Only joking, Mum"

Bloom jumped up, "I'll see you soon Harry!" she said with tears in her eyes. Harry walked her to the door. Time was running out.

"Don't worry, you'll be visiting soon. I'll send Hedwig… okay?"

Bloom nodded, then she hugged him. "I love you, Harry, please be careful and write to me!"

"Love you too, I promise to write."

She jumped out of the train just in time. She ran by his window as the train began to move.

"Write to me when you get there! Take care! Please Harry!"

"I will…"

Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister next to Bloom, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

"Hello dear, we meet again." Bloom turned around to see the woman that helped her before.

"Oh hello, oh umm sorry I haven't introduce myself… I'm Bloom Potter"

The little girl gasped, "Really? You're Harry Potter's sister?"

"ummm yes…?"

"When are you going to Hogwarts, dear? Oh call me Mrs. Weasley, this is my daughter Ginny."

"Alright. Next year I'll be going to Hogwarts…" Bloom answered.

"Oh me too! We can go together!" Ginny said

"Where are you guardians, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Oh… Well you see, they left us here. And I'll supposed to take the bus home."

Mrs. Weasley made a face that said she didn't like the plan. "Why don't you come to our house, dear. Then when we know your guardians are back, I'll take you home. How about that?"

Bloom barely knew the woman, but she knew she could trust her. "Great!"


	7. Life is Fair?

The Weasley family, the ones Bloom met, were really nice, nothing like her supposed family. For one they liked her. Ginny and Bloom talked about all sort of things. She told her more about the magical world. Like the Gnomes in her garden, they looked like potatoes with legs. She even asked her if _The Harry Potter _was her brother and what was he like, She nearly laughed. Ginny showed Bloom her family's broomsticks. Mrs. Weasley was outside with them. As Ginny told her what to do, Bloom stood next to the old looking broom and yelled, "Up!" it jumped to her hand so fast, she screamed.

Bloom turned to face Ginny and her mom.

"Is that normal?" she asked

Mrs. Weasley smiled, "My Dear, you're a natural! When the broom jumps to your hand that fast, it means you're a natural… you'll be great at flying!"

"It's true, Bloom!" Ginny said happily.

She got on my broom ready to fly, "Hold on tight, Bloom, don't go too high" Mrs. Weasley commanded.

With a quick nod, she jumped up. And it didn't come down! Bloom was floating in the air! She's never felt something so … so wonderful! Slowly she went higher and higher, at least to the second floor of the Burrow, the Weasley's Home. Bloom flew around the house and the fields, letting the air hit her face. She felt her smile widen each passing moment. Bloom had never had so much fun in her life! She wished that Harry was here but he'll living his own adventure and her on her own.

Around 4 o'clock, Mrs. Weasley gave them dinner, she had never seen so much food. Mrs. Weasley kept filling up her plate. Bloom didn't mind much, she was so hungry. Then Mr. Weasley came home.

"Oh hello!" he smiled, he was a tall man, red hair though he was balding, but had a kind face.

"I'm Bloom Potter" Bloom said quietly after Mrs. Weasley and Ginny said hello/

"Bloom Potter? As in _Bloom Potter _?" he asked

"I'm the only Bloom Potter I know."

To her surprise he laughed, "Well it's nice to meet you Bloom. I'm Arthur Weasley."

Throughout dinner she had to explain to him all about Muggles and their inventions. It was pretty fun, until it became 5:30pm. Mrs. Weasley had to take Bloom back to the Dursley's.

They went by floo; Mrs. Weasley had to hold on to her since she was worried Bloom'll get lost. They got off at the nearest wizard chimney, she had her eyes closed the whole time, the spinning had gotten her dizzy.

She pulled out her house key, Bloom was lucky to have one. The Dursley's weren't home yet.

"Thank you for taking me to your home, Mrs. Weasley." Bloom said politely.

"You're welcome my dear, where's your family?" she asked worriedly.

"They come back around this time, don't worry. I have the house key. I'll be fine"

"Are you sure dear? I don't mind waiting."

"It's alright. I promise… I wanted to ask you something," she asked timidly

She smiled kindly again, "What is it dear?"

"Well… I was wondering," she looked down at my feet, "if I could visit someday…"

Bloom waited for her response but she didn't have to wait long, "Well of course Dear! I'll send my owl to you and let you know when I'll be picking you up."

She smiled at her, Bloom's never smiled so much in her life before, "Thanks you. Until then. Goodbye…"

When she went to my room, Bloom felt lonely. Harry was gone, and for the first time in her life, she was without her Big Brother. She laid down on her bed, school didn't start until September the 5th, and Dudley didn't leave until the 6th, how in the world was THAT fair? She stared at the ceiling, wondering what Harry was doing. Bloom closed her eyes for what felt like a moment, but next time she opened her eyes was due to the sounds of the Dursley's return. It was at least 10 at night.

_Tap tap tap_

What is that?

_Tap tap tap_

She sat up and turned to the window. It was Hedwig! Bloom quickly jumped up and ran to open the window. She flew in gracefully and landed on the bed, there was a piece of paper tiled to her. She stood still while she tried to take it off.

It was from Harry!

Dear Bloom,

How are you? I just got to my dorm in Hogwarts. It's so amazing, Bloom! You'll love it! The castle is so big and magical! Guess what? I made a friend, do you remember the wizard family we over heard (I snorted at that!) well my new friend is from that family, his name is Ronald Weasley, but he likes to be called Ron. He's pretty funny. He has a pet rat too.

Anyways, we met on the train just when you left. He was telling me all about his family and what houses they were in. There's four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin . Remember that kid we met at the uniform place, well I met him again and he was a git, and I mean a even bigger git, more than Dudley! ("Is that even possible" I asked) and yes its possible! ("Well there's my answer")

I know you'll be reading the book I read you so you'll find out what the houses mean, oh I'm in Gryffindor!

I also met this bossy girl, her name is Hermione Ganger. She and Ron are in my house. Ganger is a bit… annoying to tell you the truth but I don't hang out with her. All of Ron's brothers are in my house too.

Tomorrow is my first day of class, I'm really nervous. I hope I do well.

Send me a letter with Hedwig.

Goodnight, your big brother

Harry

I smiled at Harry's letter, I'm glad he's doing well. Soon I'll be with him again. But till then I'll be here.

I would live my life. Go to school, come home do my work and write to him. I noticed Hedwig feel asleep. So I decided to send my letter tomorrow and of course I'll write it tomorrow too.


	8. Dreaming of You

Bloom woke up to Hedwig's pecks on her hand. Bloom didn't start school until a few more days. September fifth to be exact, her last year at a muggle school, frankly she couldn't wait. She could be able to do magic, learn about a whole new world. And most of all learn about her parents. A few days ago, Hagrid had told her, her parents' name. Lily and James Potter. And now she had some idea about how they looked like. Her father, James Potter, looked exactly like her brother; Harry, but he had her eyes.

She, Bloom Potter, had her father's eyes. The thought warmed her, like she could never be cold again. Her mother, Lily Potter, looked like her. Expect she had Harry's eyes. Now THAT thought filled her up with such happiness but great sadness. If Bloom and Harry traded eyes, they would be the exact image of their parents.

She went down stairs to get some food for herself and for Hedwig. She made two quick sandwiches and hurried to her room without making a sound. She ripped the bread for Hedwig. She ate it almost human-like. "You're such a beautiful owl, Hedwig."

Hedwig gave her a look like she was saying, "Of course" and she was proud of it. As soon as she finished her breakfast, her aunt called her down.

"Bloom! Get down here!" Aunt Petunia yelled.

"Coming," Bloom shouted to the hall, and then turned to Hedwig, "Please stay quiet. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll leave the window open so you can fly in and out."

She walked down the steps and froze at sight of the living room. Dudley and Piers were sleeping on the sofa. How did that rat come back and when? She didn't know. But she didn't want to be here when he woke up. She quietly walked into the kitchen and saw her aunt looking through a box.

"Yes Auntie?"

Her aunt quickly turned around; like she was surprised she was there. "Bloom," she shouted, "Don't pop out of no-where like that!"

"I'm sorry… did you need anything?"

Aunt Petunia finally calmed down, "Yes, I need you to go to the store around the corner. Buy some milk and bread. Here's some money." She handed Bloom five pounds. "And do hurry!"

"Yes, Auntie" Bloom went to the front door in a rush; she was finally able to get some air. The walk to the store was pleasant and quiet so early. She wasn't a morning person but once she was up, she was up.

As she walked, she passed a small park. The swing swag with the breeze, it was her favorite item in the park. Last summer she and Harry would play there. She would stand on the swing seat and jump from full height; some how she would always slow down and land gracefully on her feet. Harry almost had a heart attack the first time.

When she got to the store she saw an old friend. _Ash Redfern! _Other people would think she had a crush, but she knew better. She hated him! He annoyed her all the time; he would always pop out of no where whenever she was alone. Everyone at her school thought he was so cute, with his ash-white hair and "stunning" blue-green eyes."

She quickly went to the items her aunt asked her for and made her way to the counter. As she paid she heard his annoying voice.

"Hey Bloom!" he shouted across the store. Everyone turned to look at her, her face redden at the eyes. This was just want she needed! A git bothering her so early in the morning.

She paid and began to walk out the store, trying to ignore the shouts of her name. She passed a few people, who were watching the scene. She could hear them talk.

"-isn't that cute!"

"-boy chases girl-"

"girl ignores boy-"

"they grow up-"

"-and fall in love!"

Insane people! Like she would ever love THAT THING!

"Bloom," he jumped in front of her, "I was yelling after you!" he huffed as he pushed his hair back.

"Oh really?" she played innocently, "I didn't hear you, I'm sorry."

"It's okay… Want me to help you with that?" he asked pointing at her bags.

"Oh its' okay… I don't need help." This was weird; he was never this nice to her. He had to be planning something. But what could he want? She wasn't popular like he was, she wasn't rich like him. So what did he want? "Is there a reason you came after me?"

He jumped, like he didn't expect her to ask that, "Well, you see," he started, "I was wondering if you want to hang out before school… if you're not too busy." He blushed so bad it looked like she had pinched his face so hard; it would put a grandma's pinch to shame.

"Why?"

"Well… we've known each other for so long, yet we've never really talked or hanged out." He answered.

"We have talked; you talk to me just to bug me. Remember all those stupid jokes you made about me?" she asked.

She heard him wince, "About that… I was… every time I tried to talk to you, I would choke up. The truth is… I really want us to be… friends."

She stared at him for a bit. Thinking whether she should believe him, just when she was about to answer there was a shout.

"Bloom!" they both jumped and turned to see Dudley and Piers. Piers' was the one that shouted.

"What?" she asked annoyed. Bloom always get annoyed when Piers was near her.

"You were taking forever!" Dudley said, at the same time Piers said, "Was he bothering you, Bloom!"

She growled in the throat, "No he wasn't and I was on my way. The store is packed. You would know if you've ever gone."

Just then, Dudley grabbed the bags and started back home. Piers' was glaring at Ash the whole time. She turned to Ash and said, "I have to go…"

"Yeah, I see. See you later?" He said

Before she answered, Piers grabbed her above her elbow and pulled her way, but she turned to face him and mouthed "See you tomorrow."

After a whole day of cleaning and hiding from Piers she was finally able to write back to Harry.

Dear Harry,

Tell me everything you learn from school, okay? I had a… okay morning. Though I woke up to see Dudley and Piers here! Auntie sent me to the store and I ran into Abe Redfern, no worries. We have a truce. He might even be a friend now.

After you left, I went to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny's house. You know the family we heard at the train station. I know it was dangerous but they were so nice. Hermione doesn't sound so bad; just try to be nice to her. Don't bother her and she won't bother you. I hope to hear from you soon.

Lots of Love

Bloom


	9. First Days

**Dear Bloom,**

**How are you? I'm fine. Class just ended, the classes are unique. All the professors are really kind but strict expect for Snape, the potion master. I don't know why, but he seems to really hate me! I didn't do anything I swear! First at the feast, he turned to look at me and pain shot through my scar, it was really weird and painful, I don't know what it means though. It's not like I can go to the nurse and say, "Hey, my scar is hurting me during the feast, can you tell me what that was about?" yeah that's just what I should say! **

**The school also has a caretaker his name is Argus Filch. He's a crappy old git! Yes he's a git! Ron and I got lost this morning looking for our classroom and ended up in the third corridor, which is forbidden. Why? I don't know. All I know is that if we go there we will have a "painful death", not my words, they're the headmasters! I thought it was a joke, but he was serious! Anyways back to Filch, he wouldn't we were lost, he threaten to lock us in the dungeon! See! I told you he's a git! Anyways we were only saved because one of the professors passed by and helped us out and guided us to our classroom. Oh and Filch has a cat named Mrs. Norris, and it's everyone's dearest ambition to give her a good kick!**

**So about my classes, Defense for the Dark Arts is kind of a joke, not the subject but the teacher! Do you remember him from the Leaky Caldron, that guy, and remember how he would talk? Well, that's normal. He does teach us but it's hard to respect him especially when he's scared of his own subject. I usually read the book, it's really interesting! I'm learning so much about defense! If only I could do some of these jinx's on Dudley! **

**There's also a class called. "The History of Magic", it's the most boring class in all! I mean it! Everyone fell asleep within the first ten minutes! Well expect for Hermione Granger. It's the only class taught by a ghost. It seems the Professor Binns, when he was alive, went to the staff room, fell asleep then got up not noticing he walked out of his body! All he does is write and talk about facts of history. I really tried to write it all down but it was too confusing and boring! I really wanted to walk out! Hey! When you're here then you'll understand me!**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, is a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. Even I'm taller than him! When he went through roll call, he called out my name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. During the class I caught him looking at me with sadness yet he was happy. It was weird. But he's a great teacher! We're learning so much! You'll love it!**

**Professor McGonagall is clever but really strict. I had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. She teaches Transfiguration, it's when you change one thing to another. Its prefect awesome! To prove her point she changed her desk into a pig then back. Our first lesson was changing a match into a needle, it was a bit hard, and Granger was the only one that managed to make it at the end of the lesson.**

**Now Snape, well he's a git! The first lesson he started picking on me. Asking me this I didn't know. It was the first day of class, how would I know what in the world he was talking about. Wolf bane and Powdered root? I mean how would I know that? He kept going and going. Making all of Slytherins laugh at me, I don't think I have ever met anyone I hated more than Dudley! I mean it! Snape and Malfoy at on the top of my hate list! And he took points off me for no reason!**

**First he took off a point because I cheeked him. He started it! I swear! He kept asking me question that I couldn't answer so I told him, "I don't know,** **I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" everyone laughed. So I guess it was worth it. The other point was uncalled for. Neville, a really clumsy and forgetful boy in my house, he messed up his potion and got hurt. Snape yelled at him called him an idiot, then yelled at me for not stopping him! I was working on my potion! **

**Thank god! Hagrid wrote to me and asked me to visit him during lunch. I found out three things, one Hagrid hates Filch too; he called him an old git. Two, I asked him why Snape hates me; I know he knows because he told me that it's not true but wouldn't look me in the eye. Three, someone tried to steal something from the bank. The weird thing is that they tried to steal the item Hagrid got from the bank.**

**The next day we got flying lessons, with Slytherins. I thought I was going to make a fool of myself! What did I know about flying? So during the lesson Neville got hurt so the teacher, who reminds me of a hawk, took him to the nurse. Malfoy started making fun of him again and took Neville's Remembrall. I did the only thing I could do. I argued with him. He took off flying and I took after him. It was wonderful! I've never felt anything like it! Flying is like being set free! Like the sky belong to me! Anyways, Malfoy was shocked that I could fly, so he threw the Remembrall and I flew after it! **

**I saw it all in slow motion. I dove down and a foot off the ground I caught it! I was so excited and full of energy, my coloring left me when I heard Professor McGonagall yelled out my name. She saw what I had done. She took me to a classroom with a fifth year boy and told him; "I've found you a Seeker" I was so confused until they told me I just got a spot on the house team for Quiddutch!**

**I'm the youngest Seeker in a century! Then she told me something that made my eyes tear up, Dad played quiddutch too! That he was a great quiddutch player! Then she said he would be really proud of me! She had taught our parents too, so she knew them pretty well! So if she means that he would be proud of me, she meant it! I'm really happy, Bloom! He would be proud of me! I only wish he really was here and hear those words come out of his mouth. Great! Tears landed on the parchment, just ignore the wet spots.**

**Well later on, Malfoy dared me into a duel. At mid night Ron and I went to meet him. Then Granger showed up and followed us. Oh and Neville, he couldn't remember the password for the house. The worst was yet to come, the git didn't show up! He told Filch where we were. We had to hide in a room, which was locked. We waited until he left, Neville made me turn around, and what I saw made me want to wake up from a bad dream! A three-headed dog, not a small puppy, a huge giant dog, one bite and he would swallow me whole.**

**We ran out of there so fast, the hallways were just blurs! When we got back to common room we all passed out on the floor. It's been great here yet sometimes it's a pain to deal with things that can kill me and people that hate me, but we're used to the latter. Oh before I forget, I got you permission to come for my games and Christmas. **

**Love Harry**

…


	10. Letters and Quiditch

_Dear Harry,_

_The teachers and classes seem so interesting! And Congras on making the Quiditch team! That amazing! I can't believe Dad used to be in it too! I wonder what he played. Can you find out? I can't wait to meet the Professors! Maybe they can tell us about our parents! Make sure to ask the Head Master if I can go watch your games! I want to go! I'll go either way! I'll ask Hagrid if he can pick me up._

_How are your friends, Ron and Hermione? Do they still fight a lot? I can't wait to meet them. You're not coming for Christmas, right? You think I can go to the school? I really don't want to spend a Christmas without you. I feel so lonely without you. But don't feel bad for me. Cynthia and I are doing fine. And do you remember Ash? Well, we're friends; sort of… at least I think we are… I'm not a hundred percent sure. We don't fight as much._

_Well, it's a good thing that I'm going to Hogwarts next year. Both Ash and Cynthia are moving away. I can't believe I'm going to say this but… I'm going to miss Ash. And NO I don't like him. You know I barely have friends. Because of stupid Dudley! But this year has been great though. No Dudley but i have his parents. I can't wait for next year. _

_Oh by the way, I made friends with Ginny Weasley. Yes, Ron's sister. She's super nice and her mom is the best cook! Mrs. Weasley is super nice! She saw that my clothes didn't really fit and that my hair wasn't treated well. She casted a spell and fixed my hair! She made it health! And it's so pretty now! Its straight and the tips curl up a bit!_

_Ginny used to be a fan of yours, well still is. But not a "fan-girl" anymore, it's weird people thinking you're off fighting dragons somewhere! I'm sorry but no! You can't even beat up Dudley! But, now with a wand… well maybe… Ginny is now a normal fan. Not too crazy, so you're welcome!_

_Lots of Love_

_Bloom_

**Dear Bloom,**

**I just know you'll love that classes and the Professors, well expect Snape. Sorry I tried, but he's the world's biggest git! He's in the top people I hate list: 1.) Voldemort; no surprise there! 2.) The Dursleys; Of course! 3.) Snape; he's a git! And 4.) Malfoy; he's such an… an… jerk!**

**Anyways, I asked if you could come over for the games and Christmas, after explaining it to Professor McGonagall and had Hagrid come to prove I wasn't lying… she said…. YOU CAN COME! Are you jumping up and down? I know you are! You better be! By the way the first game is next week. **

**Be ready! Hagrid is going to get you on Friday around 6pm. The game is on Saturday! You have to be there! I need you here with him. I'm not going to lie. I'm really nervous! Like beyond nervous! Half the school says I'll do great the other half says they'll follow me with a mattress! **

**Wood, the team captain just came and ordered me to get to the field for more practice. He works us like dogs, but I guess, it's how he is. Everyone else on the team tells me that it's normal. **

**Hagrid will be sending you a letter soon. Oh and Professor McGonagall too, to tell you what you have to do.**

**With Love**

**Your big brother**

**Harry**

_**Dear Bloom**_

_**It's me, Hagrid. **_

_**Harry and me talked to Professor McGonagall to let you come, and she said yes!**_

_**I'll be picking you up on Friday around 6pm.**_

_**Can you do me a favor and not tell the muggles I'm the one getting you!**_

_**I want to give them a big scare.**_

_**Have a bag of clothes, for three days, ready too.**_

_**I'll see you soon**_

_**Ps: I hope those muggles are treating you well**_

_**Hagrid.**_

_Dear Miss Bloom Lily Potter,_

_You're brother, Harry, and Hagrid have talked to me about your situation. After talking to Head Master, we decided that you will be allowed to come for your brother's game and for you to come bring Christmas vacation. _

_Hagrid would be picking you upon Friday 6pm._

_Please have some clothes ready. You will be staying for the weekend._

_Professor McGonagall_


	11. Where It Started

**HELP! Can someone tell me how to put that line thingy on the section of a section? I tried using border but it didn't work. Someone please tell me how to do it. Step by step! **

Telling the Dursleys that a magically person was going to pick me up was kind of fun. I told them with a smile, watching them freak out was fun. I know it was mean, but it was payback for everything that they have done to Harry and me, so you can say I was very little revenge and as promised I didn't tell them who was going to come get me. What? I can't be too good; it's good to have a bit of mischief in life.

Now the hard part was telling Cynthia and Ash that I wasn't going to be here for a few days. What can I tell them? I guess I can tell them the truth, you know, say that I'm visiting Harry at his new school not just where. But knowing them, they won't stop until I tell them where it is. I'll think about that later, the Dursleys might just tell them I ran away.

The week seemed to go really fast after I talked to Cynthia and Ash, they did ask where the school was but I told them it was close to Scotland. I'm not really lying, right? Cynthia seemed to let it go, but not Ash, he wanted to know the name and where it was. He wouldn't stop until I told him that Harry never mentioned it on his letters and that the Dursleys don't mention anything about Harry.

When Friday finally came, I was bouncing off the walls. I was finally going to see Harry and, most importantly, I'm going to the place my parents met and fell in love. It was like getting a little piece of them. It was proof that they were here once, that they loved life and Harry and I. The feeling I would get from that simple thought is so unbelievable, I can't explain it. I can't wait to walk in the hall they once walked, to study under their former professors. My heart fills with so much joy and yet so much sadness. Sometimes I feel like a depress child. But, who can blame me?

I don't want to tell Harry what my real reasons are to see the school earlier than normal. I do miss him a lot. But knowing I'll get more information on my parents is so important to me, I just have to know. Even if it'll take all my life, I want to know everything about my mother and father; Lily and James Potter. I want to know if I'm more like my mother than my father or the opposite. Other children with parents might not understand and think it's stupid but to me, it's like finding them inside myself.

Harry always said I seemed older than other people my age.

* * *

When I heard a loud knock, I smiled.

Hagrid was here.

I skipped down the stairs with my bag but Uncle Vernon got to the door first. I saw his shoulders tense up. I just had to smile again.

"YOU!"

"Well hello to you too, Dursley. I'm here to pick up Bloom." Hagrid said with a smile, I bet he was enjoying scaring Uncle Vernon as much as I enjoyed watching but my drive to see Hogwarts stopped me from enjoying it more.

"I'm here!" I cheered and ran to Hagrid then turned to Uncle Vernon, "I'll be leaving now, Uncle. I'll be back before Monday." I smiled.

"Bloom," Said Hagrid, "please wait by the bike. I have to talk to your Uncle for a bit."

"Okay. Please don't take too long." I began to walk away when I heard Hagrid speak.

"Now listen here Dursley." Hagrid said grimly, "Harry and Bloom have been through a lot more than any normal wizard or muggle have. You better be treating them alright. Or I'll just have to ask the Head Master if someone checks up on them every week."

"DON'T YOU DARE THE-"

"I'll do as I please." Hagrid said in a cold voice, "These children are heroes of our world, if they find out you've been treating them like slaves, they'll have your head." Then I saw Hagrid smile, "Have a good day."

Hagrid walked away before Uncle Vernon slammed the door.

"Is everything okay? Hagrid" I asked, nervous about the talk he just had with Uncle Vernon.

"Of course, now let's go!"

"Yes!"

Hagrid helped me onto the bike and put the helmet on. "You know, you look a lot more like your mom now. Your hair is just like hers was." He smiled.

"Really?" I asked as my eyes widen

"Yes."

I'm glad it was time for us to go, I held on as I began to tear up. Hagrid just told me something really important about my mom. I would never forget this little piece. I stared at my hair; thinking of my mother.

"Thank you, Hagrid." I whispered. I don't know if he heard me over the sound of the motorcycle, but I just had to say it.

When the coast was clear, Hagrid shot up into the air and we become invisible! It was amazing.

"I love magic."

We flew over houses, parks, schools, and people. It was so magically! We flew for hours, but it only felt like minutes to me. I watched the sky and enjoyed the view. Flying felt like freedom. Like being set free, I closed my eyes to concrete on the air hitting my body. It was like being cleaned of all my troubles, my fears, and my loneliness. I wanted nothing more than to go faster and higher into the sky!

"You're not scared, are you Bloom?" I heard Hagrid shout over the noise.

"Not at all," I shouted back, "I love this! It feels so good!"

I felt him chuckled. "You and Harry get that from your dad. James loved flying and he was a brilliant flier that must be where Harry gets it from."

I stayed quiet until I was able to ask the question that been running through my mind for years, "Hagrid," I took a breath, "How were my parents? What kind of people were they?" I feared he wouldn't tell after I felt him tense up. But then he relaxed.

"Your Dad… James, he was really funny. He was a prankster. He would always make people laugh! Some people thought he was dumb but he was really smart, one of the top students of his year. He told me long ago that he fell in love with your mom in their first year." I felt him chuckle again, "He would ask her out every day since their third year. Your mom kept telling no. She thought he was too immature. But during their six year, he changed. He was still funny but more responsible. His parents… your grandparents died from Dragon Pox. That shock forced him to grow up since he was the only heir to the Potter line. By that year, your mother and he got really close. Then they were made head boy and girl. The rest was history." I smiled into his cloak. "You have his eyes, you know. They have the same sparkle that he held when he planned a prank."

I smiled more and let my tears fall into my lap. James Potter, my father, was a prankster. I can actually picture that.

"Your mom was a kind girl, feisty too. Her temper was crazy sometimes, she often made your dad land in the hospital whenever he asked her out." My eyes widen, Okay mom; maybe that was too much. "But that just made your dad try harder. Lily studied a lot, top grades in nearly everything. She always defended people. She hated it when James beat her in a subject. Once they got together she lightens up. She smiled more and laughed more. You could see she was in love with James. Only a fool would see otherwise. Your parents were one of the bravest, smartest, kindness, and funniest people I ever have the pleasure of meeting…" I heard him sniff.

I stored everything Hagrid told me about my parents. I looked up to the sky and smiled. "I am proud of being their daughter." I whispered as tears ran down my face.

"We're here."

I moved my head to see pass him. And there it was

Hogwarts

The place my parents met and fell in love.

_Can you see me, Mom? Dad? Can you see where I am? _

_I love you._

* * *

Hagrid parked the motorcycle near a small hut. It was made of brick. Beside it were pumpkin patches and other vegies. By the size of the front door, I'm guessing that this must be Hagrid's house. I could hear a dog bark from the inside. I look at the window and saw a big black dog.

"That's my house, inside that's Fang. Don't be scared he's a bloody coward." Hagrid told me. Then we turned to the castle.

It was beautiful; it gave of a feeling of magic, mystery. I couldn't wait to walk inside. I didn't even notice we were walking towards it. I was too busy trying to remember every detail into my head. The grounds were so big. The lake looked like it went on for miles, the forest looked dark and scary and yet fun. I wanted to go over everything. I wanted to know this place like the back of my hand.

I only noticed we were at the front door when the doors started to open, to relieve an older woman, I knew this must be Professor McGonagall, her face said it all.

"Hello Professor, this is Bloom Lily Potter." I felt my face warm up.

"Hello Professor, it's nice to finally meet you. My brother says you're an amazing teacher. I can't wait to start your class next year."

She stared at me for a bit and then her face softens so much I could've sword her eyes tear up a bit, she suddenly smiled. "It's great to finally meet you Miss Potter." Then she turned to Hagrid, "I'll be taking her to see the Head Master now."

"Yes Ma'am" then he turned to me, "I'll see you later, visit me whenever you want."

"I will, I promise."

* * *

Professor McGonagall and I walked in silences for a few minutes. Until I started asking questions about the classes and the school, I tried to remember as much as I could. This was like a dream come true. When we got to the moving stairs I was a bit scared but still jumped on. It felt weird when they started to more. But fun!

We got to a statue when Professor McGonagall turned to me, "I will say the password and it'll let you up. Okay?"

"Yes."

She looked at me a bit more than said, "You really look a lot like your mother, but you have your father's eye color. I want to believe you act more like your mother and yet… I hope you're like your father. He was one of my favorites, though he sometimes made me want to pull my hair out."

I laughed, "On beside my father, I apologize. And for my half, thank you."

She smiled once more than said, "Acid Pops"

"Wha-? WOW!"

The statue moved to relieve stairs. "That is so… cool."

"Follow the stairs, you will meet the Head Master."

"Thank you Professor." I jumped on the stairs and ran up, but I did hear her say something I wasn't sure she wanted me to hear, "she's like her father." I smiled and ran up faster. Then wooden door looked heavy. I straighten my clothes and knocked.

* * *

The door opened, I was surprised at how weird looking the room was. It had some much stuff and it was so neat. I wanted to know what some things were but decided to wait a bit. I didn't want to get into trouble before I even started school. I looked around and didn't even notice that I was supposed to walk to the desk, but the room was so interesting.

"I see that you have made it, Miss Potter."

I jumped and turn to see an old man. He was wearing a purple cloak and a pointy hair. His hair was so white it looked silver and his bread was really long. His eyes were a beautiful blue and they have a twinkle in them. So this was Professor Dumbledore.

"Hello Professor."

He stared at me for a few moments then smiled, "You really look so much like you mother, but your father's eyes. You even have his mischief twinkle."

I felt myself blush, "Thank you." I smiled.

"Now, Professor McGonagall has told me your situation. I will give you permission to visit during Harry's games and Holidays… Now, I'll have someone to guide you to the tower, classes will be over soon."

"Thank you Professor!"

* * *

The Head Master had made Perfect Percy, the boy Harry and I saw at the station, he was also Ginny's brother. He talked non-stop as he took me to the Tower. Telling me all the rules about the school and what I should do when I get here, he went on and on. Don't that I'm not grateful but really! Stop talking about rules! I almost jumped for joy when he said that we got that.

The entrance was a portrait of a fat lady with curl black hair. She was trying to sing some song. When she saw me, she stopped like she choked. She looked at me with wide eyes and she teared up. "Oh I know who you are! James and Lily's daughter! You look just like them! Oh first your brother and now you! I can't wait. I loved your parents. They were one of my favorites!"

Percy coughed, "Fat Lady. Please we have to get inside."

"Oh! Oh alright! Get in!"

The room was so cozy, sofas, tables and chairs everywhere and a big fireplace, the size that you could easily fit in, there were some older students reading some books. Behind me, the portrait opened. I turned to be face to face with Harry. He looked tired until he realized I was standing in front of him.

"Bloom!"

I ran and hugged him; "Harry, I've missed you!" it felt so good to be hugged back. I really missed having him around.

"How have you been? How's school? How have the Dursleys been treating you?"

I laughed at him, "Harry we'll talk about that later, first aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Oh," I saw him blush, "yeah…" he guided me to his friends, "this is Hermione Granger," Hermione had bushy brown hair and a look that seemed that she liked doing homework.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you Hermione."

"You too Bloom! I'm very glad you were allowed to come."

"Thank you."

"And this is Ron."

"Hello Ron, I'm friends with your sister; Ginny."

Ron looked just like in the pictures Ginny showed me. "Yeah, she told me the day she met you. She seems really happy!"

We sat down and Harry started to explain everything to me. From Snape to Fluffy to the Stone, I told him not to be messing over and if it got too dangerous to leave it alone. He promised. By then Percy came back and told us that I was going to stay with Hermione in her dorm. A bed was going to be moved there. Tomorrow was the big game. I couldn't wait.

* * *

This was it! The game! Hermione and I got up early to meet Harry and Ron in the common room. Harry was so nervous he wouldn't eat. He always got like this when he's nervous. But now it was added with pressure. I heard some of his friends try to make him eat. A sandy haired guy told him that Seekers get clobbered the most. I couldn't believe he send that!

Hermione wanted to show me the castle before the game, I told Harry to wait for us. We walked around, she showed me different rooms. Then the trophy room, I felt a pull, so I went towards it. "Hermione, I think I have to go in there."

"What? Why?"

"I feel some kind of pull…" I walked in and started to look around until I saw the section for Quiditch. I went up to the case. There were so many trophies inside. But one caught my eye.

I placed my hand on the glass wall and stared at the trophy, the one trophy that to me shined like a star. "Hermione." I whispered.

"What is it? Whats- Oh…" she gasped.

I was staring down at the trophy that had the name; James Potter. I found out what he played. He was Chaser. On the side were more trophies named to him. He sometimes played Seeker, like Harry.

_Harry!_

"Hermione!" I turned to her, "please get Harry and bring him here! Please! But don't tell him why"

She nodded and ran off.

I stared back to the trophies. It was nice. I bite my lower lip, trying to hold my tears in. Not seconds later, at least it felt like seconds to me. I heard footsteps running. I pushed off my tears.

"Bloom, what is it?" I heard Harry shout.

I turned him finally letting my tears show. "Look Harry… here…" I pointed at the glass.

He came up to me and looked down, then gasped. "Is that? Is that really Dad's?"

I covered my face with my hands and finally let out my tears. I don't know why I cried, I just had too. Soon I felt Harry's arms around me. "It's okay, Bloom. Cry all you need, I know you've been holding it in." I felt him shake too.

I stood in each other's arms until it was time to leave for the game. We walked in silence expect for my sniffing. Harry started to turn to the locker rooms.

"Good Luck" Hermione and Ron said.

I hugged Harry again, "I know you'll make our parents proud Harry! Even if you don't win, I know I am."

"Thanks."

We walked to the bleachers and waited.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked. I must of worried them.

"Better now…"

"It's starting" Ron said.

* * *

**I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written. Please review please!**


	12. Quiditch

**Hello everyone, I'm typing out the new chapter now… I hope I can have it done within the week; it's kind of hard balancing my college classes, homework, projects, and assignments. Plus my Philosophy class gives me a huge headache, I understand it. It's quite simple but it makes you think so much it hurts. I'm trying to figure out where the story will lead. I hope it turns out good. Give me advice if you think I should add something. What should happen? I might just do it.**

* * *

I stood up and watched as Harry followed The Weasley twins and walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch (Hermione told me who she was) was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her**. **

I noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain; some big ugly guy that could easily smash Harry to the ground.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –" I heard the commentary say.

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

I turned to look at the Commentary quickly, a black boy with dead locks (is that what they're called?) was holding onto a magically microphone, with Professor McGonagall watching closely.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle— that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" I hugged him quickly

Ron and Hermione and i squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above us, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch.

When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, _Giving me a heart attack in the process,_ but Harry dodged it, letting me breath again, and one of the Weasley twins came chasing after it.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry saw it and so did i. In a great rush of excitement Harry dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Harry was faster than Higgs — I knew he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — he put on an extra spurt of speed —

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"YOU FAT UGLY TROLL! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BROTHER YOU CHEATING PIECE OF-"

"Bloom!" Hermione put her hand over my mouth. I tried to shake her off but she wouldn't let go. The boys around us looked at me like it was the first time they ever seen and heard a girl yell out angrily. I decided to glare at the good-for-nothing until he was set on fire! I swear I saw his uniform caught on fire for a second, a small fire.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily (_not angrily enough for me, just wait until I get my hands on him! I don't care if he's three times my size_) to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Next to us, a dark-skinned boy was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron. Oh so that's his name, I'll try to remember that.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In football you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't football, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"They should hit him with the blugder!" I said angrily, after I managed to shake Hermione's hand off. I heard someone chuckle at me.

"Calm down, Bloom" Hermione said, trying to calm me down, "He's okay now."

I nodded angrily.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

I'm starting to like this guy.

"Jordan, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure-

I snorted, in a lady-ish fashion, well as close at it can get to a lady-ish fashion.

"so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, I thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees.

What's going on?

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off.

But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts — he should ask his captain to call time-out — and then I realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

I stared at him with horror, this cannot be happening! Oh please tell me that it isn't happening.

Lee was still commentating. Hasn't anyone noticed but me?

"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — Oh no…"

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Hagrid," I shouted, "What's happening to Harry's broom?" I knew he could hear the panic in my voice.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it.

I let out a high pinch scream of terror!

He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! "SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!" I yelled. I felt my tears running down but I paid no attention to them. I just stared hopelessly as my brother dangled.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" I heard someone whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."

I quickly turned to her to see in what direction she was looking at. I couldn't see from this spot. "Hermione!" I shouted, "do something please!"

"What should we do?" Ron asked panicky

"Leave it to me."

Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. I grabbed the binoculars from Ron and turned back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, (_I should thank them someday)_ but it was no good – every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. _Please don't fall._

Some player of the green team seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron and I muttered desperately

After what felt like forever, up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom. I fell into my seat and tried to get my heart rate back to normal.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes. He seems like a sweet boy, how cute.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick — he hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand. I jumped up.

_No way_

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion. I, on the other hand, was jumping up and down. He was safe and won the game in an amazing way!

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," I heard the other teams captain howl, but it made no difference — Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry and I heard none of this, though.

We were having a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.

"Ah…"

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "We saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. I knew they were thinking of the stuff that they've found out. Harry decided on the truth.

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

Fluffy?" we all said confused

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

"Yes?" Harry and I said eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.

"Please don't say that Hermione." I said feeling queasy.

"Sorry Bloom."

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed Hermione's mind about Snape.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"Maybe it was a counter-jinx?" I asked but no heard me. For some reason, after I calm down, I felt that it didn't feel right. I don't believe Professor Snape would try to hurt Harry. But who would?

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

It was quiet for a bit, too quiet for me. "So," i turned to Hagrid, "can i meet Fluffy?"

"NO!" Harry shouted.

* * *

**Well there you have it… please tell me what you thought about it.**


	13. Why Cant I Have Them Here?

**Okay, soo… I don't know when I'll update again, but it your review I promise that I'll update super-fast! As long as I can get my homework/projects/etc. done first; SCHOOL COMES FIRST! I'm going to try to make the chapters as long as I can. So sorry if it's too short! But I'll like you guys' to help me, give me advice or whatever. Just let me know what you think. Please.**

* * *

Later throughout the day, Harry showed me around the school. Hermione and Ron were kind enough to give us some time alone. Well Hermione had to point it out to Ron, which by the way was funny to watch. It was like watching a tennis match.

Harry and I walked around in peaceful silences, every once in a while he would tell me something about the school, his enemies, and his friends.

"Harry," I looked at him, "pleases, I know you're looking into what Hagrid said, but please be careful!"

He turned to me with an understanding look, "Don't worry Bloom," he said, "I won't do anything stupid, I promise. I know when I'm too far in; I promise I'll back out."

I sighed, "Fine, but I swear I'll kick your butt if you get hurt… you have no idea how scared I was when I saw you lose control!" I felt my eyes tear up, "I thought you were going to die, Harry! I can't lose you too! Please Harry, be careful. There's so much we don't know yet."

"You worry too much Bloom."

"Yeah… I guess I do…"

We walked to the Quiditch field; he showed me where the lockers were and told me about Oliver Wood, the crazy-Quiditch-obsesses captain. He explained the rules to me more slowly, so I could understand it. I've never been good at sports, but Quiditch seemed different.

"Harry, can you do me a favor?"

He gave me a knowing look, "You want ride my broomstick?" he asked as his eyebrow travel up his forehead.

"Yes!" I cheered, "Please!"

He laughed at my antics, "Okay, but!"

"What 'but'?"

"I have to ride with you."

"Aw! Why? I want to fly on my own" I pleaded, "Please Harry!"

"No Bloom. You don't know how to fly. Fly with me or not at all."

I pouted, "Fine…" as soon as he turned to get his broomstick I muttered, "Spoilsport."

Seem I heard him chuckle I knew he heard me.

"Ready?"

I just had to smile, "Yup"

"Let's go!"

He jumped up and we kept going higher and higher. I felt weightless and free again. Riding a broomstick was positively the most amazing thing in all of magic.

"This is great Harry!"

"I know."

"Go higher Harry, and faster!"

"You're sure?"

"Yes." And he did. He went faster as he did flips and turns. We were so close to the clouds I felt their wetness on my face. We flew down to the lake, the water was so clear I could see my reflection so clearly and beautiful. My hair looked like it was a flame on my head. I never realized my hair could look so much like a flame. Then we shot up again, this time to the forest. The tree tops looked like a sea of green. I heard some noises from it, some scary some not too much. Every part of this place had life inside of it. It was hard to believe.

"We better get back. You leave tomorrow and it's late."

I didn't want too, but I knew he was right.

* * *

That night I slept like a baby. Hermione promised me to get me some books that she didn't read anymore. I couldn't wait but it was time for me to rest.

The next morning I felt someone shake me. Telling me it was time for breakfast, but I didn't want too. I felt so warm and safe for the first time in my life, I didn't want to leave it so early. I think I told the person to leave me alone and I'll get up in a bit. I don't think it worked at first but then it did since I fell back to sleep. I was safely curled up into my blankets.

Sometime later I heard the door slam open; bringing me out of my cozy zone.

I sat sleep still in my eyes. Slowly my eyes began to clear up. "Good morning Hermione-ee" I yawn

I heard her giggle, "It's more like good afternoon, Bloom"

"Really?" I asked stupidly

She smiled at me, "yeah, I told Harry you wouldn't get up, he told me to leave you. Since you got in so late and haven't slept well."

"Sorry… is it okay if I used the shower?"

"Of course, you don't need to ask."

After my nice cold shower, I sat down on my bed trying to untie my hair, but I was having a bit of trouble.

"Hermione, can you help me. I keep pulling my hair out."

"Sure." She took out her brush and began to untie my hair. "You have nice hair; I wish mine was like that."

"Do you have your mom's hair?"

"Yeah."

"Then you should love it. I love my hair because…" I faced the floor and closed my eyes, "I have my mom's hair, when I look at it… I feel… I feel like she's there… with me." I smiled at her, "I know it sounds silly, but it warms my heart. You should be happy to have something in common with your mom. She's the most important person to a girl."

"I'm sorry Bloom."

"It's okay." I got up, "Now let get down stairs. I'm hungry."

I returned later that day to the Dursleys, even though I didn't want too. I couldn't wait for Christmas.

* * *

It was finally Christmas break, my school got out earlier than Hogwarts.

I wrote to Hagrid asking him to pick me up as soon as he could. I wanted to surprise Harry. The road trip back was the same way, but I was still amazed by it all.

I stared at the motorcycle, for some reason the noise it made makes me sleepy.

As we walked to Hagrid's hut, I thought of what I should do. Harry wasn't going to be until a few more days, two to be exact. I couldn't just stay still. Then a light bulb went up over my head. I smiled evilly.

"Hagrid, do you think I can meet Fluffy this time?" I asked sweetly.

"I would love too, but He's a bit busy at the moment and Harry doesn't want you to meet him, a shame too."

"Oh please Hagrid, please. Besides, what Harry doesn't know won't hurt him."

To my surprise, Hagrid laughed, "Oh Bloom, you're your parents' daughter alright."

I felt my eyes twinkle, "Does that mean that I can meet Fluffy?"

* * *

"Oh my god!" I squealed, "_That's Fluffy!_"

Harry didn't describe Fluffy well enough to me. I didn't know he was that _huge!_

"What do you think? He's amazing, isn't he?"

All I could do was stare at them, here I was in the small room with a huge three-headed dog. Not just that! Hagrid had rolled him over and was rubbing his stomach, like he was some cute puppy. Each waking moment I felt my eyes widen.

"You want to pet him?"

Oh dear god. I did, but what if I turned into the world's largest dog bone.

I swallowed, "Um… okay." I slowly walked up to Hagrid. "Don't move Hagrid please."

I got really close, I felt Fluffy's breathe on me. Oh god.

And then I touched his muzzle.

_Don't eat me. Don't eat me. Don't eat me._

Then Fluffy gave me a huge shock. He licked my hand and wagged his tail.

"He likes you Bloom."

"That's great." It's true it was, "Can we go now?" but I really wanted to leave now.

* * *

To say that Harry was surprised to see me reading in the common room would be an understatement.

He was a bit mad I didn't tell him I was coming, but he got over it once I told him that _someone _forgot to send Hedwig back. That made him blush while his friends tried not to laugh.

Since they came back after dinner we didn't have to go out. Besides, it was getting really cold. Hermione told me that she was going to go home for Christmas, I was going to miss her. I wanted someone sane to talk too.

"Have you found out anything about Flamel?" I asked

They all looked grimly, "I'll take that as a no."

We promised Hermione that we'll look while she was gone.

* * *

Once the holidays had started, Ron, Harry and I were having too good a time to think much about Flamel.

They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork — bread, English muffins, marshmallows — and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, -The guy Harry told me all about- which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.

Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family — in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.

Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan, the sandy guy from the game, had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him; we can afford to lose him."

On Christmas Eve, Harry and I went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. I talked with the guys' until I fell asleep on Harry's bed. Good thing we were both small.

* * *

When we woke early in the morning, however, the first thing we saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of the bed.

"Happy Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry and I scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.

"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? Bloom and I got some presents!"

"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than ours.

Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was To Harry, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it — it sounded a bit like an owl.

My parcel was the small, expect inside was a smooth silver locket. I opened it to see a picture of Harry and I. The picture was one of us sleeping on the cough, the day when Harry's game ended.

We also got something from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. They gave us a fifty-pence piece.

"Well…" I started, "that was um… nice of them."

Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.

"Weird!" he said, 'What a shape! This is money?"

I couldn't help it, I giggled. Ron was a lot of his dad.

"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle — so who sent these?"

"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you guys' a Weasley sweater."

"Hey! I got one too! We have to thank her Harry!"

Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.

"Hey, Harry. It says 'To Harry and Bloom", you have to share it with me. It's half mine."

Our next present also contained candy — a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.

This only left one parcel, it was between both our stacks. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. Harry unwrapped it while I watch.

Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.

Ron gasped.

"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is — they're really rare, and really valuable."

"What is it?" Harry and I asked

Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on."

Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell as I gasped.

"It is! Look down!"

Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible.

He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.

"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"

Harry pulled off the cloak as I seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing I had never seen before were the following words:

_Your father left this in my possession before he died._

_It is time it was returned to you and your sister._

_Use it well._

_A Very Happy Christmas to you._

There was no signature. Harry and I stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.

"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Harry. I felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to our father?

I looked up at Harry. We stared at eachother, I knew we were thinking the same thing.

Before Harry could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. I knew he didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet, neither did i.

"Happy Christmas!"

"Hey, look — Harry and Bloom got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"You guys are wearing the right sweater aren't you?" I asked.

"No."

"Liar, everyone would think you switched so you didn't."

They stare at me for a bit then grinned, "but people might think what you just thought so we didn't."

"But I know you would know that I know. So you didn't."

"Enough!" Ron shouted before the twins could open their mouths, "I don't want a headache on this day."

The twins and I grinned.

Then they turned to me, "You know what," they said to me, "We like you baby Potter."

I smiled, "Likewise," then I glared at them, "and don't call me that!"

They smiled evilly then turned to Harry's and mine sweaters.

"Yours is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Bloom got one."

"I — don't — want —" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.

I laughed as we followed him.

Harry and I had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce

– and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.

These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. George was kind enough to give me one too. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick, a very short wizard, had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to my amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

When we finally left the table, we was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Harry and I had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's, an evil cat, Christmas dinner.

Harry, the Weasleys and I spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds.

Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. I think he suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge; which by the way was super funny.

It had been _the_ best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of my mind all day. Not until we climbed into bed- I didn't want to sleep alone- was we free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.

Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.

Their father's… this had been their father's.

I wanted to cry. But I wasn't going too. I had to be strong, if not for me, for Harry.

We let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

We had to try it, now. We slipped out of bed and Harry wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.

"Get in Bloom"

_Use it well._

Suddenly, we felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. We could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.

We crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.

"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry and I said nothing. We walked quickly down the corridor.

Where should we go?

Harry stopped and said, "The Restricted Section in the library. Let's go there"

"Okay."

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see our way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though I could see Harry's arm supporting it, the sight gave me the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, Harry held up the lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell us much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages I couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. Ew.

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Maybe I was imagining it, maybe not, but I thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.

We had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, we looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. Harry pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence — the book was screaming!

I almost screamed too, if I hadn't covered my mouth.

Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note.

Harry stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, we heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside — stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, we ran for it. We passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped us under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in our ears.

We came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armour. We had been so busy getting away from the library, we hadn't paid attention to where we was going. Perhaps because it was dark, Harry didn't recognize where we was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, Harry knew, but we must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."

I felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever we were, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to our horror, a mean looking man replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

We stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Professor came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see them, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into them — the cloak didn't stop them from being solid.

Harry backed us away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was our only hope. Harry squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get us inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry and I leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away.

That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before we noticed anything about the room we had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket – but propped against the wall facing us was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

I stepped in front of it.

"Don't touch it." Harry whispered

I had to clap his hands to my mouth to stop myself from screaming. i whirled around. My heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed — for I had seen not only myself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind me.

"Harry! Look inside!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

He did and had the same reaction I had.

We looked together at it.

There we were, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind us, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder — but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Were we in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

He looked in the mirror again.

A woman standing right behind our reflection was smiling at us and waving.

We reached out a hand and felt the air behind us.

If she was really there, I'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but I felt only air – she and the others existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair —her hair just like mine, and she and Harry's eyes!

I thought, edging a little closer to the glass and so did Harry. Same fierily, same hair as mine and bright green — exactly the same shape, as Harry's, but then i noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Harry and I were so close to the mirror now that that our noses was nearly touching that of our reflection.

"Mum?" i whispered, as Harry whispered, "Dad?"

They just looked at us, smiling. And slowly, we looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like Harry's, other noses like mine, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees — We were looking at our family, for the first time in our life.

The Potters smiled and waved at us and we stared hungrily back at them, Harry hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. I had a powerful kind of ache inside me, half joy, half terrible sadness.

I finally broke; I threw myself at the mirror.

"Bloom!"

"I can't stand it anymore! Let me in! Let me in! Please!" I cried. "Please let me be with them! Let me in the mirror! Let me in! Let me in! Please! PLEASE! PLEASE!" between each word I pushed myself harder.

"Bloom, Calm down! Please!" he was trying to get a hold of me. But I wouldn't let him.

"I want to be with them!"

Then I heard another voice.

"Please Miss Potter, calm down."

The Head Master was here.

"Sir-" Harry tried to talk, "We… we…"

"It's alright. I understand. Please try to calm down."

"I can't Professor. I can't! I can see _them_! Why can't they be with us! Why did they have to die! Professor! I want them back! We need them! I need them!" I slided down the mirror, "Why can't I have them here? Why?" I buried my face in my knees.

Harry hugged me but I knew he was also crying.

"I do not know why they were taking from you two at such a young age. But I do know that they loved you very much. They would not want you to be sad. They would want you to live… and to be happy. If not yourself then or each other if you can't do that. Do it for your parents. They did not give their lifes for you to be misery."

I tried to nodded, but I couldn't.

Then I fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up, I was sleeping next to Harry.

We went through the day like yesterday. We didn't have to talk right now. As long as we had each other we would be fine.

I helped the twins plan some pranks, as long as they didn't prank Harry and his friends. That night, Harry fell asleep quickly. I tipped toed to his trunk and pulled out the cloak. I felt trapped; I needed to go for a walk, even if it was midnight. I covered myself and left the tower.

I knew where I was headed. The Trophy room, I needed to be close to the trophies. I just needed too.

I walked past a mirror, for some reason I stopped. And looked back to it, I took off the cloak and hugged it.

I looked into the mirror. My eyes were different, they were- green!

I was in a deep thought that I –

"Lily?" I heard someone whisper behind me.

_Oh no!_

I ran for it, not letting the person see my face.

"Wait! Lily! Stop!"

_Why is he calling me Lily? Mom's name._

_I'm an idiot! I'm holding the cloak!_

I turned the corner and covered myself up when I knew the person couldn't see.

I stopped and leaned into the wall and wait for him to come

It was Professor Snape; he looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"I saw her. I know I did." I heard him say.

As soon as he left I ran back to the tower, jumped into bed and tried to relax.

* * *

**There it is… People please review! Please! i wrote a lot. so please review!**


	14. Excuse Me, What?

**Okay where we go again… I have a few people that added this story on their favorites, if you'll be so kind to review; I would really love you... so please… Review.**

* * *

To I didn't sleep was an understatement. Harry had noticed that I was gone for a while, but didn't question me until morning. No matter what I did. I couldn't fall sleep, I kept thinking back to what had happened. I couldn't get it out of my mind.

Snape kept calling out for my mom, how did he know her? Why would he follow me? When I saw his face, it looked like he had just seen a… well I would say ghost but there's so many here. I just hope he's still not searching and I pray that he hadn't seen my face.

I looked out the window to see snow falling, it looked so peacefully, and free.

Watching the snowfall calmed me down, helping me fall asleep. I knew in the morning I was going to get an ear full…

"What were you thinking?" Harry yelled, "You could have been seen! You could've gotten the cloak taken away! What were you thinking?"

"I-" I tried to explain but-

"I'll tell you what you were thinking!" Harry interrupted me again. "You weren't thinking at all! How could you do something so stupid!" he was pacing back and forward throughout the room. I figured I'll let him calm down until he's ready to let me talk.

Ron and I sat down and let Harry go at it. I think Ron fell asleep after Harry went on for ten minutes.

"Harry! Will you let me explain?"

He slowly turned to me, glaring at me the whole time he nodded.

I exhaled, "I kept thinking of what we… what we saw the other night…. I didn't want to bother you, so I took the cloak and went for a walk. And _no _I didn't go looking for that thing!" I yelled out once I saw the look he gave. "I wanted to see Dad's trophies, they help me calm down… but when I was getting there, I sort of… kind of… ran into Professor Snape-"

"WHAT?"

"Let me finish… something weird happened. I can't explain it. I was staring at a mirror; I had felt a strange pull to it. And then I heard some cry out _Lily_, Mom's name."

"What does that have to do- oh sorry, continue."

I huffed. "As I was saying, I didn't want to turn around and let him see me. So I ran for it. I wasn't wearing the cloak. That's how he saw me." I explained, "When I turned the corner, I put one the cloak. I waited for the person to come and it was Professor Snape. He seemed…" I looked down, I couldn't explain what I saw, and it didn't even make sense to me.

"And?"

"That's all."

"Bloom, what he seemed_?_" he asked me

"I can't explain it Harry. It was too weird. But I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have gone without telling you but I just needed some air."

He sighed, "Fine, just don't do it again."

"Okay."

* * *

My last days at Hogwarts were fun. We had sure I didn't run into Snape, _Harry's habits of just calling him Snape is getting to me._

We had many snowball fights. I sided with the twins this time. I'm proud to say we won. Even though Harry and Ron deny it, the twins and I had to chase them until they gave up. But those two were too stubborn; I think they didn't want to lose to a ten year old girl. On my last night, we all sat together, the twins told me about their many pranks, each funnier than the next.

We sat near the fire; it was the prefect end to a prefect day. I was going to miss them, I'm just glad I'll be here on the next game and finally when I'm a first year. I couldn't wait. Without meaning too we all fell asleep, I think I was the first one but I don't know. I had eaten a lot of sugar. The next day Hagrid took me back to the Dursleys though we didn't want too.

**Dear Bloom,**

**I miss you so much, it so quiet without you here. Let me start from the beginning, first we found Flamel. You won't believe were we found it, on the back of a chocolate frog! Of all the things! It said: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!" then Hermione jumped up and went to her room to get the biggest book I have ever seen. Nicolas Flamel, is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!**

**The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold.** **It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.** **There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday, last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)**

**I asked Hermione to write that part for me.**

**We figured out that's what Fluffy is guarding! That's what Snape is after!**

**Anyways, my next game is in two weeks. Hagrid said he'll get you after school; expect you'll only be able to stay for the game. Professor McGonagall will be taking you back.**

**Harry.**

* * *

The days came and went, lucky I got sick on Thursday and part of Friday but I got a bit better before Hagrid came. The ride there was faster than the others, I was sad I could only stay for the game, but I was grateful. Professor McGonagall told me I had to sit with her this time; we were higher up than the students. I had a clear view of everything, I was so glad that I was small I didn't want Snape to see me. I thanked my lucky stars that he was referring the game.

I kept my eyes on Harry, hoping this game would be kinder to my heart than the other.

Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

Harry sped straight at Snape

Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches — the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.

The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"How long did the game last?" I asked McGonagall

"Barely five minutes." She was blinking like she was trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"May I talk to Harry Professor?" I asked.

"Yes, I thought the game would have lasted longer. I will give you an hour."

I jumped down the seat and ran down to the locker rooms. Though it took me a while, I finally got there I saw the twins walking out.

"Guys!" they turned to me in surprise.

They grinned, "Well, if it isn't Baby Potter-"

"What are doing here shorty?"

I groaned, "I told you to stop calling me that. Where's Harry?"

"We don't know, I think I saw him fly off somewhere but-"

"Bloom!" we jumped and then brown covered my vision. "When did you get here? Where were you sitting?"

"Hagrid bought me here, but I had to sit with Professor McGonagall, she gave me an hour, but then I'm leaving. Have you seen Harry?"

She pouted, "No, " she turned to the twins, "wasn't he with you?"

"No, he flew off somewhere." They answered, "Ron? What happened to you?"

I turned around to see Ron running towards us; he looked a bit roughed up. "I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right"

I saw the twins' eye light up, "You did! I can't believe I'm going to say this but-"

"We're proud of you little brother!" I saw Ron blush as his brothers walked away.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked. I turned to see Harry land next to us.

"Harry!"

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right, talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly he was about to continue when Professor McGonagall came.

"I'm sorry Bloom, but it's time to go."

"but-"

"I'm sorry, but we don't have much time. It's time to say goodbye."

I turned and hugged Harry.

"I'm sorry, if I hadn't gone, we could've spent more time together."

"It's alright," I whispered so the professor wouldn't hear, "Just owl me tonight." I felt him nod. I quickly said my goodbyes and walked away with Professor McGonagall.

* * *

When I got home from school, I found a letter from Harry on my bed, Hedwig was long gone. I guess she really doesn't like this house, I don't blame her.

**Dear Bloom,**

**You won't believe what Hagrid was done. He got a dragon egg.**

I blinked severally times._ Did he just say- I mean write dragon?_

**Yup, you read it right. He got a dragon. A real dragon, Bloom, I know he told us that he always wanted one, but this is crazy.**

_I agree completely, but it sounds fun. Wait- doesn't he live in a wooden house._

**We tried to reason with him but he won't listen, we even told him that he lives in a wooden house. But he still won't listen. But then things got worse, it hatched within a few days. We went to see it, I know it sounds crazy but how many times are we able to see a dragon hatch? **

**Hermione and Ron argued about going to see it, Hermione went on about how skipping class is really bad; Ron was saying it was a one in a lifetime chance. So we went. Hagrid's hut was so hot inside my glasses fogged up. It was about to hatch, when it did, like it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body; it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes. It's a Norwegian Ridgebacks.**

**That's not all, Malfoy saw it! We tried to make Hagrid to get rid of it, but he won't listen. He named it Norbert. I told him that we'll owl Ron's older brother Charlie. **

_Oh yeah, I remember Ron telling me about him, he was living with dragons._

**Charlie answered, some of his friends were going to come visit him, but they'll come here first. They're coming tonight, in a few hours.**

**Wish Me Luck, **

**Harry**

Good luck Harry, you're going to need it.

* * *

I spent my week on school, homework and my chores. It felt so long since I had heard of Harry. The hours felt endless, the dragon and the stone went through my mind. What could be going on right now? It was killing me; I need to know what was happening. And then finally, I got his letter. Why must the letter always get here when I'm at school? But luckily, Hedwig was still here.

**Bloom,**

**We got caught.**

_Oh no…_

**Malfoy told Professor McGonagall, so he got in trouble too, for being out of bed. But they still got Hermione, Neville and i. Ron was at the hospital wing, the dragon had bit him. Neville came to warn us what Malfoy was planning.**

**Our detention was at the forbidden forest. **

_What!_

**At eleven o'clock that night, we said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there—and so was Malfoy.**

**We were going with Hagrid in the forest, something was killing the unicorns. We even saw two dead.**

_That's sick._

**We also ran into centaurs, they're not the nicest to humans. We separated in groups; I went with Malfoy and Fang, lucky me.**

**Then we saw something, a dead unicorn and a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.**

_Oh my dear God! Get out of there!_

**Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted—so did Fang. **

**The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at me—unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward me—I couldn't move for fear. Then a pain like I'd never felt before pierced my head; it was as though my scar were on fire.**

**But then, a centaur came. He saved me. He's name was Firenze, we talked. He made me think, and I figured it out! What the cloak figure was- it was Voldemort!**

_Oh my god! No, no, No! I thought he was gone. Not dead but at least gone!_

**Snape wants the stone for Voldemort...and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich...**

**I don't know how I can take exams, I feel like Voldemort is going to jump out.**

_Please don't jinx it!_

**And then… I figured it out again! Voldemort was the one that gave Hagrid the egg! He got Hagrid drunk and tricked him into telling him how to get pass Fluffy.**

**And worse of all! Dumbledore is gone; he went to a meeting in London.**

_Oh no! Can things get any worse?_

**Bloom, I want to let you know that I love you. No matter what happens, no matter what crazy things you might do. I'll always love you. I promise to always protect you. This won't be the first time I stop Voldemort from killing us. **

_Please don't tell me he's going to…_

**I'm going after him.**

"NO!" tears ran down, this couldn't be happening.

**I won't let him come back; I won't let the monster that killed our parents return. I love you Bloom. I hope that I'll see you again. I don't want to scare you, but I don't want to lie. I don't know if I'll make it back. **

**I'll always love you**

**Harry**

I stared at the letter, this just couldn't be happening. There's no way it could. I snapped out of it and grabbed some paper and began to write to Professor Dumbledore and Hagrid. The first was to the Head Master, I wrote down that Harry was in danger and what he was planning to do. The second to Hagrid to come get me as soon as he got the letter, I only pray it wasn't too late.

"Please, Hedwig." I tried to be as calm as possible, "Deliver these letters as fast as you can. Harry's life depends on you" I know it was a lot of pressure on her, but she knew what it meant. I heard her who and fly out.

Every moment felt like an eon since I last saw Hedwig fly out my window. I couldn't stop crying and rocking back and forward. Please, Mom Dad, don't let them take Harry from me, I need him. Please protect him; he's fighting for all of us.

After what felt like eons, I heard the sound I was searching for.

Hagrid's bike

I didn't care it was around midnight, I ran down the stairs, not even telling the Dursleys I was leaving. I slammed the door open not bothering to close it.

"Bloom, what's going on? Why did you ask for me to come get you?"

I jumped on the bike, "I'll explain on the way! Just go! As fast as you can!"

We shot off so fast it felt like a shove smacked me in the face, not that I cared. I needed to get to Harry. He had to be alive. He just had to be.

* * *

When we arrived at Hogwarts, I didn't even wait for Hagrid to land, as soon as I knew I wouldn't break my neck if jumped I did.

"Bloom, Where are you going?"

"We have to get to Fluffy!"

I didn't wait to hear his answer, I ran all the way to the third floor. I even dumped into the Head Master, "Professor! You got my letter!" I felt so relieved but we still had to get to Harry.

"Yes, but It's best for you to stay here."

"No way!" I shouted, how could he possibly ask me this? "I'm going! I won't lose my brother to the same person I lost my parents too!" I ran ahead of him and opened the door to be face to face with Fluffy.

He growled at me.

"SIT DOWN!" I order, and he listened. I'll be surprised about that later! I opened the trap door by the time the Professor came in. I jumped down. I could hear the Head Master after me; I fell into an opening, but not just that. It was covered in vines, but I fell through it. I looked up and noticed the edges were burned. I looked around, the Head Master won't be too far behind, and he could easily make me go back. I had to get moving before he catches up.

I got up and walked to the passageway, it sloped downward, and it reminded me of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, i remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If I met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon — I didn't even have a wand… what could I do to help? Well I'm sure I could do something.

I reached the end of the passageway and saw before me a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door. And luck for me, it was open.

* * *

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as I stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

I was standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than i was and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing me, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. I shivered slightly – the towering white chessmen had no faces.

On the floor was a flamed headed boy, "Ron!" I ran to him, so many chess pieces were destroyed and landed near him. I turned him over and checked for a pulse, thankful there was. I cleaned his face slightly, but where were Harry and Hermione. Why would they leave him here?

"Bloom?" I looked up and saw Hermione running towards us, without Harry. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"I'll explain later, the Head Master is not that far away. He's on his way. I need to catch up with Harry, take Ron and tell the Head Master."

"Bloom, you don't have a wand-"

"I don't care; just tell me what's up ahead."

She looked grim, "A knocked out troll, and a riddle; a fire will appear and surround you. Get the smallest bottle. If there's any left."

I nodded and ran to the door.

A disgusting smell filled my nose, making both of them pull my robes up over my nose. Eyes watering, i saw, flat on the floor in front of me, a troll.

I pulled open the next door; there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

I stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind me in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. I was trapped.

I did what Hermione told me to do, I got the smallest bottle, and there was at least some liquid left. I swallowed it and ran through the flames.

* * *

When I saw Harry tied up and a man facing a mirror – the mirror from last time- I felt shivers on my spine…

I knew I couldn't let him see me. I looked around there was nothing I could use for a weapon; I needed to buy some time. Enough time so the Head Master could catch up, but what was taking me so long?

I hidden behind as pillar and waited for a chance.

I heard the man cursed under his breath. "I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it? What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to my horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from the man's head.

"Use the boy… Use the boy…"

The man rounded on Harry. "Yes — Potter — come here."

_No! What do I do? Think Bloom think!_

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet

"Come here," the man repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry walked toward him. _Lie Harry, you have to lie. Please lie!_

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," Harry invented. "I — I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

The man cursed again. "Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, I noticed he seemed to be walking really slowly back.

_This could be our chance._

But Harry hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though the man wasn't moving his lips.

"He lies… He lies…"

"Potter, come back here!" the man shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to him… face-to-face…"

_What?_

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough… for this…"

I felt like I couldn't move, like I was paralyzed.

The man reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. The man's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

I would have screamed, but I couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to the man's head, there was a face, the most terrible face I had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Harry Potter…" it whispered.

Harry tried to take a step backward but it seemed like his legs wouldn't move.

"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

_What stone? Ah the stone! But when did Harry get it?_

Harry stumbled backward.

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…"

"LIAR!" I shouted as I jumped out of my hiding place and ran toward Harry's side.

"Bloom, what are you doing here?" but I didn't answer him, I was glaring at the monster in front of me.

"Well if it isn't the youngest Potter, oh I remember you. You looked so small in your mother's arm." He whispered like a snake.

I bite my lip, how dare he talk about my mother.

The man began to walk towards us, "How touching though…" it hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, children, your parents were brave… I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you two… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"NEVER!" Harry shouted, he grabbed my hand and we began to run.

but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE THEM!" and the next second, I saw the man grab Harry's hand.

"I won't let you hurt my BROTHER!" I felt some force bloom out of me as I shouted, I opened my eyes to see a fierily shield around us. The man was holding on to his face, as he began to stand up, he was on the other side of the chamber.

"What happened?" I asked Harry.

"I don't know, I touched his face before the shield popped out and then…"

The man had fell, and we saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before our eyes.

"Seize him! SEIZE HER! SEIZE THEM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and the man lunged, but the shield just made him bounce back.

"Master, I cannot hold him — my hands — the shield!"

The man's palms — we could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

The man raised his hand to perform a deadly curse.

"As soon as he says it get to the floor" Harry ordered.

But we didn't have too, the man screamed as he kneed to the ground. Harry and I were kneeing on the floor, we looked away as the man's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HER!"

And then we heard our names being called, we looked up to see the Head Master, finally, we were safe.

So the only thing left to do was to lie down on the ground, as soon as my head touched the ground, the fierily shield dome around us faded down.

Harry and I held onto each other's hand as the Head Master check on us, "You two… what were you… I'll talk about this later, for now we must take you to the hospital wing, your friends are waiting. Can you stand?"

Ever so slowly we stood up and began to walk out of the chamber, I think by the time we got to the troll, Harry passed out, but the Head Master had made some invisible stretcher appear and carried him beside us, I still held onto his hand, the last thing I remember was the sound of wings before my world went dark.

* * *

When I woke up, I was in a white room, I looked around. I noticed Harry's bed was next to mine, by the foot of our bed, well… it looked like a candy shop. It was unbelievable; I have never seen so much candy. And it was meant for us.

"Bloom…"

I jumped and turned to Harry; he was staring at me and tapping his index finger- which meant I had a lot of explaining to do.

Before u could open my mouth, someone else's voice came in- "I see that you're both awake…" we turned to the foot of our beds, the Head Master was standing between on beds.

"Professor," Harry started, "what is all this?"

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat."

I tried not to laugh at that part.

"No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

"How long have we been in here?"

"About two days."

"Two days?" I repeated, "Oh my Aunt is going to kill me. I didn't even tell her… that I was going to… oh no…" I bite my index finger.

"Not to worry, I have written them a letter, telling them that you are here with us."

I wasn't sure if that was good or not though.

"Now Bloom, how did you know about the stone?" he asked

I gulped, "Well," I turned to Harry, he gave me a nod. "Harry told me about it in his letters, and last night or… two nights ago, I received a letter from him, telling me what he was planning to do," I turned to glare at him, "I knew I had to do something, so I wrote you and Hagrid a letter, I don't know how we both made it nearly the same time, but I just had to get to Harry before anything could happen. I'm sorry I disobeyed you Professor." I looked down at my hands.

"It is alright Bloom; I knew I shouldn't have asked that. Both your parents would have attacked me to get to someone they care about it."

I felt my face warm up.

"Sir," I heard Harry say, "What happened to the stone?"

"The stone has been destroyed."

"What? What about Flamel and his wife-"

"Won't they die?"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face. "To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

Harry and I lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking… sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —"

"Call him Voldemort, Harry. You too, Bloom. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"

I stared at Harry, he seemed like he was trying to figure out if he should ask.

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"

I tensed up at his question, that was a really good question, but I had a feeling Professor Dumbledore wasn't going to answer it.

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time. "Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."

I bite the side of my lip, even though I knew this would happen I was still upset.

"But why couldn't Quirrell touch us?" I asked.

"Your mother died to save you two. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you two leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

I covered my mouth and looked down trying not to make a sound. Now I knew why we survived, it didn't really feel good that due to my mother's death we survived but it filled me with joy to know that my mother loved us.

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to us?"

I was able to look up, even though my tears were burning my eyes.

"Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here." That does seem like something he'll do.

"And there's something else…"

"Fire away."

"Quirrell said Snape —"

"Professor Snape, Harry."

"Yes, him —Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?" we both said

"Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"

And sir, there's one more thing…"

"Just the one?"

I had to smile there.

"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"

"That's right," I said, "I didn't see you get it."

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes…"

"Umm Professor, may I ask something?"

"Go ahead Bloom, what is it?"

"The shield, how… how did it appear? I don't remember anything of how it could appear."

"Have you seen it before?"

I nodded, "Yes, but it was more like a… boom I guess. I was really mad and the sofa kind of… sort of… lit on fire."

To my surprise he smiled, "Ah yes, you see Bloom, there are very very few wizards or witches that have, what you can call, elemental powers. And it seems like fire is yours. You have a really rare gift. It will take you some time to master and I'm afraid there is no course to take for it. You must to control it on your own. But the professors and I will help you as much as we can."

"Cool."

"Just don't use it on me, Bloom." Harry said with a smile.

"Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"

* * *

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.

"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."

"We're resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let Ron and Hermione in.

"Harry! Bloom!"

Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around them again, but I was glad she held herself in as my head was still very sore.

"Oh, Harry, Bloom, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"

The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors.

Harry told them everything:

Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

When Harry told them about my umm powers, they gaped at me for a solid minutes, I felt my face warm up every second.

Harry coughed to knock them out of it.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.

"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — after Bloom passed us, she was with Ron when I showed up—and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the flying key chamber"

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."

"I doubt it."

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course —you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.

* * *

After a good night's sleep, I felt nearly back to normal.

"I want to go to the feast," Harry told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes. "I can, can't I?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go, you too Bloom" she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."

I was glad it was the end of my school year. Thank god, I had completely forgotten about that due to Harry's letter.

"Oh, good," said Harry.

"Who is it?" I asked.

Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke.

As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears.

"It's — all — my — ruddy — fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."

"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"

I turned to Harry, "Try this Harry, VOLDEMORT!" I bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying.

"We've met him and we're calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"

Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, not that I blamed him, Hagrid was great and all but… the man couldn't cook.

and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle, "Bloom, move to Harry's bed." I did what I was told.

"Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…"

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were our mother and father.

My lips began to tremble as tears appeared again.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"

We couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.

* * *

Harry and I made our way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. We had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving us one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row.

A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Harry and I walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. We slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at us.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…

"I can't wait for next year." I whispered, I heard the others chuckle at me.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. I knew Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. Harry was right, he does remind someone of a prat.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…" Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

I giggled at the sight.

"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last there was silence again.

"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; I think she was embarrassed by the attention.

Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.

"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. I turned hard not to roll my eyes "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse- a curse Hermione told me that she would love to place on me- put on him.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration"

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile.

* * *

Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mom, and Bloom is there too!" It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister.

She ran to me and hugged me, "It's been so long, Bloom! You must visit me during the summer! You can stay as long as you want! Right mom?"

"Of course dear," she smiled at me then turned to Harry "Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry.

"Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?"

It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry and I.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Harry and I hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione and Ginny.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"

I laughed as we returned to the muggle world.

* * *

**This has to be THE longest chapter I have ever written. I hope to get a handful of reviews for this… please. Too tired to continue for now, but please review.**


	15. Birthdays And A Surprise

**Okay, Bloom is finally going to Hogwarts. I'm going to need help with this…. Oh god I'm nervous. I don't know how long it will take me to write this out. I wish I had some help. I would like some people to give me some advice or whatever… Well let's see where this goes.**

* * *

Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew and niece's room.

"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"

Harry had tried, yet again, to explain.

"She's bored," he said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night -"

"Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache.

I knew Harry wanted to say 'yes' by his expression

"I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."

He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia.

Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys' son, Dudley.

"I want more bacon."

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance… I don't like the sound of that school food…"

Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"

Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to Harry.

"Pass the frying pan."

"You've forgotten the magic word," said Harry irritably.

I wanted to smack my forehead, _Harry, why did you just say that?_

The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs. Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr. Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples.

"I meant 'please'!" said Harry quickly. "I didn't mean —"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"

"But I —"

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.

"I just —"

"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

We stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.

"All right," said Harry, "all right…"

Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes.

Ever since Harry had come home for the summer holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating him like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because Harry Potter wasn't a normal boy. As a matter of fact, he was as not normal as it is possible to be. And neither was his younger sister; Bloom Potter.

* * *

Harry Potter was a wizard — a wizard fresh from his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have him back for the holidays, it was nothing to how Harry felt.

Bloom Potter was a witch— a witch who would be starting her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. The Dursleys hated that they had magically gifts.

* * *

Harry and Bloom missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. We missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, his classes (though, in Harry's mind, perhaps not Snape, the Potions master), the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, visiting the gamekeeper, Hagrid, in his cabin next to the Forbidden Forest in the grounds, and, especially, Quidditch, the most popular sport in the wizarding world (six tall goal posts, four flying balls, and fourteen players on broomsticks).

All Harry's spellbooks, his wand, robes, cauldron, and top-of-the-line Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant Harry had come home.

What did the Dursleys care if Harry lost his place on the House Quidditch team because he hadn't practiced all summer?

What was it to the Dursleys if Harry went back to school without any of his homework done? The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a wizard in the family was a matter of deepest shame.

Uncle Vernon had even padlocked Harry's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world.

Harry and Bloom looked nothing like the rest of the family.

Uncle Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous black mustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Harry, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. He wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar. Bloom was smaller and skinnier than Harry, with fierily red hair that curled a bit on the ends, with haze eyes. She was whiter than Harry and had a few dimples.

But it was Harry's scar that made Harry so particularly unusual, even for a wizard. This scar was the only hint of Harry's very mysterious past, of the reason he and Bloom had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.

At the age of one year old, Harry had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Harry and Bloom's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Harry had escaped with his lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood why —Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Harry. So Harry had been brought up by their dead mother's sister and her husband. They had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why he and Bloom kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that he had got his scar in the car crash that had killed his parents.

But it there was also the mystery of how Bloom had survived. Many thought that Voldemort was going to finish Harry off first and then move to the youngest Potter, but what they don't know, is that Bloom was being held by her brother when they were attacked. If Voldemort was aiming at Harry he would have killed Bloom as well. Last year Dumbledore explained to them in private, the spell was closer to Harry, hitting him first and then Bloom. But only Harry to get a scar, there for Harry was named the-boy-who-lived, he had protected his sister; making them the only people alone to survive an attack by Voldemort.

* * *

The Dursleys hadn't remembered Bloom's eleventh birthday, but to her, it was a really important day. This was the day she would get her Hogwarts letter. She stayed up almost all night waiting for her letter. Then somehow the letter appeared in the mailbox when she went to get the mail.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

I started jumping up and down in front of the house, I couldn't believe it! Well I could, it was just too amazing to say the least. Harry said that we could get our supplies once he got his letter, to tell you the truth I was planning to use Harry's first year books, in case it was the same. I just wanted to go Diagon Ally and buy some extra books and so other things.

* * *

The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday.

Of course, Harry's hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given him a real present, let alone a cake — but to ignore it completely…

At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."

_What?_

Harry and I looked up, hardly daring to believe it.

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon. _Of course. _

Harry went back to his toast. Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party. He'd been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be —?"

"In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."

"Good, good. And Dudley?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

"They'll love him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.

"Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry and I. "And you?"

"We'll be in our bedroom, making no noise and pretending we're not there," said Harry tonelessly.

"Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight-fifteen —"

"I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia.

"And, Dudley, you'll say —"

"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Aunt Petunia.

It took all my willpower not to roll my eyes.

"And you?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to Harry and I.

"We'll be in our room, making no noise and pretending we're not there," said Harry dully.

"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"

"Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason… Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason…"

"Perfect… Dudley?"

"How about —'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.'"

I think I'm going to be sick.

This was too much for both Aunt Petunia and Harry. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while Harry ducked under the table so they wouldn't see him laughing.

"And you?"

"We'll be in our room, making no noise and pretending we're not there," we answered in sync.

"Too right, you will." said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "The Masons don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. Be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."

We couldn't feel too excited about this. We didn't think the Dursleys would like them any better in Majorca than they did on Privet Drive.

"Right — I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you," he snarled at Harry. "You stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning."

Harry left through the back door. It was a brilliant, sunny day. He crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under his breath:

"Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me…"

"Harry," I called out as I walked to him, "here." I held out a small red gift box, tied with a golden ribbon.

"Bloom, When did you- how did you?"

I just smiled, "That is my little secret. Go on, open it."

He slowly pulled out the ribbon and opened the lid, he gasped. "Bloom!" he jumped and hugged me, "Thank you! Thank you!"

He pulled out a golden necklace with a pendent. When he had opened the pendent he saw on one side our parents dancing and waving, on the other side was a small picture of both of us together. It sort of looked a before and after type of thing.

Underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Harry hadn't told the Dursleys this; he knew it was only their terror that he might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking him in the cupboard under the stairs with his wand and broomstick.

Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench

"What is it, Harry?" I asked as we looked around

"I thought I saw a pair of eyes." he whispered to me.

"I know what day it is," sang Dudley, waddling toward us.

What?" said Harry, not taking his eyes off the spot where they had been.

"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to him.

"Well done," said Harry. "So you've finally learned the days of the week."

"Today's your birthday," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"

"Better not let your mum hear you talking about my school," said Harry coolly.

Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom.

"Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Harry.

I sighed; this wasn't going to end well.

Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.

"You c-can't — Dad told you you're not to do m-magic — he said he'll chuck you out of the house — and you haven't got anywhere else to go — you haven't got any friends to take you —"

"Jiggery pokery!" said Harry in a fierce voice. "Hocus pocus — squiggly wiggly —"

"MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "MUUUUM! He's doing you know what!"

Harry paid dearly for his moment of fun.

As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew he hadn't really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.

I thanked God Harry was in Quidditch.

Then she gave us work to do, with the promise we wouldn't eat again until we'd finished.

While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice cream, Harry and I cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench.

It was half past seven in the evening when at last, exhausted, we heard Aunt Petunia calling us.

"Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!"

Harry and I moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets

A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.

"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table.

She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail washed his hands and bolted down his pitiful supper. The moment he had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away our plate. "Upstairs! Hurry!"

As we passed the door to the living room, Harry and I caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. We had only just reached the upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Remember, brats — one sound —"

Harry and I crossed to our bedroom on tiptoe slipped inside, closed the door, and Harry turned to collapse on bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.

* * *

Harry and I managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls.

As they stared at each other, I heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes.

"Harry Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir - Such an honor it is -" the little creature then turned his eyes on me, "And it is you, Bloom Potter, sister of Harry Potter! I have heard so much about you."

"Umm" I turned to Harry who was as dumb folded as I was.

"Th-thank you," said Harry, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. He wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead he said, "Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.

"Oh - really?" said Harry. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for us to have a house-elf in our bedroom."

Aunt Petunias high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.

"Smooth Harry," I whispered

"Not that we're not pleased to meet you," said Harry quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir - it is difficult, sir - Dobby wonders where to begin -"

"Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.

To his horror, the elf burst into tears - very noisy tears.

"Oh no…"

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never - never ever -"

I thought he heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything - "

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal -"

Harry, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of watery adoration.

_Dobby's kind of cute, he reminds me of an stuff animal._

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"No, Dobby. Don't" I whispered, I got a hold of him and held onto him like he was a four year old.

"Why were you doing that?" Harry hissed, Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir -"

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir - Dobby is a house-elf - bound to serve one house and one family forever -"

"Do they know you're here?" asked Harry curiously.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, sir, no - Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir -"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments -"

"That's awful! Why don't you leave, Dobby?" I asked as I set him on the bed.

"A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will never set Dobby free Dobby will serve the family until he dies, ma'am -"

Harry stared, ""And I thought we had it bad staying here for another four weeks," he said."This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't we?" Almost at once, I wished Harry he hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please," Harry whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here -"

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby - Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew -"

Harry; who was feeling distinctly hot in the face said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she -"

Harry stopped talking, he's face looked like he was in pain; I knew he hadn't gotten any letters from Ron and Hermione, but it didn't seem like something they'll do.

"Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -"

"Voldemort?" said Harry, "and I didn't do it alone. Bloom helped me and…" Harry's voice faded again.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"

Dobby leaned toward us, his eyes wide as headlights.

"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Harry and Bloom Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago - that Harry Potter escaped yet again."

We nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

"Ah, sir," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry and Bloom Potter are valiant and bold! You have braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry and Bloom Potter, to warn them, even if they does have to shut his ears in the oven door later – Harry and Bloom Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

"What!" I shouted louder than I meant too.

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But we've got to go back - term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. We don't belong here. We belong in your world - at Hogwarts." I nodded to Harry's word, I had to go to Hogwarts, and it was my first year. Nothing was going to stop me.

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry and Bloom Potter must stay where he is safe. You are too great, too good, to lose. If Harry and Bloom Potter go back to Hogwarts, you will be in mortal danger."

Why?" said Harry in surprise.

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry and Bloom Potter must not put themself in peril. You are too important, sir!"

"What terrible things?" said I at once. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

"All right!" cried Harry, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning us?"

A sudden, unpleasant look appeared on Harry's face. "Hang on - this hasn't got anything to do with Vol - sorry - with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," he added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not - not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, sir -"

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give us a hint. However I'm sure we both were completely lost.

"He hasn't got a brother, has he?" Harry asked

Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.

"Oh thank god." I whispered

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Harry. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing - you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, sir. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, sir" - Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper - "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't - powers no decent wizard -"

And before we could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Harry's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with earsplitting yelps.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later I, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"

"Oh no, Hide!"

"Quick! In the closet!" hissed Harry, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging himself onto the bed where I was, just as the door handle turned.

"What - the - devil - are - you - doing?" said Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Harry's. "You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke – One more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born!"

He stomped flat-footed from the room.

Shaking, Harry let Dobby out of the closet.

"See what it's like here?" he said. "See why we've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place we've got - well, I think we've got friends."

"Friends who don't even write to Harry Potter?" said Dobby slyly.

"Wait- how did you know that, Dobby?" I asked, I knew Hermione and Ron would never forget Harry.

Dobby shuffled his feet.

"Harry Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best -"

"Have you been stopping my letters?"

"Dobby has them here, sir," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Harry's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Harry could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid.

Dobby blinked anxiously up at Harry.

"Harry Potter mustn't be angry - Dobby hoped - if Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him - Harry Potter might not want to go back to school, sir -"

Harry made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.

"Harry Potter will have them, sir, if he gives Dobby his word that he will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, sir, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, sir!"

"No," said Harry angrily. "Give me my friends' letters!"

"Then Harry Potter leaves Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly.

Before we could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.

Mouth dry, stomach lurching, we sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. Harry jumped the last six steps, landing catlike on the hall carpet, looking around for Dobby. From the dining room I heard Uncle Vernon saying, "- tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear -"

Harry ran up the hall into the kitchen and I felt my stomach disappear once I saw what was going on.

Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.

"No," croaked Harry. "Please - they'll kill me -"

"Harry Potter must say he's not going back to school -"

"Dobby - please -"

"Say it, sir -"

"I can't -"

Dobby gave him a tragic look.

_He's going to do it!_

"Then Dobby must do it, sir, for Harry and Bloom Potter's own good."

The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.

There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find us, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding .

At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just our nephew and niece - very disturbed - meeting strangers upsets them, so we kept them upstairs -") He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised us he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, and handed us a mop. Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and we, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean.

Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal - if it hadn't been for the owl.

Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.

Harry and I stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support, as Uncle Vernon advanced on him, a demonic glint in his tiny eyes.

"Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on - read it!"

Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school. (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).

We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.

Enjoy your holidays!

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk

IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE

Ministry of Magic

Harry looked up from the letter and gulped.

_This isn't going to be good, not good at all._

"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it - Slipped your mind, I daresay -"

He was bearing down on Harry and me like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you - I'm locking you up - You're never going back to that school - never – and if you try and magic yourself out - they'll expel you!"

And laughing like a maniac, he dragged us by the arms back upstairs.

Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on our window.

He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let us out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, we were locked in our room around the clock.

Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and Harry and I couldn't see any way out of this situation. We lay on our bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to us. There was just nothing to do, just talk to each other.

What was the good of magicking ourself out of his room if Hogwarts would expel us for doing it? I haven't even started yet. Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, we had lost our only weapon. Dobby might have saved us from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, we'd probably starve to death anyway.

The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunias hand appeared, pushing a bowl of canned soup into the room. Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone-cold, but he drank one third of it in one gulp then passed some to me.

Then I crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave us a look of deep disgust.

"It's no good turning your beak up at it - that's all we've got," said Harry grimly.

He put the empty bowl back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, I knew he was still hungry, so was I, but what could I do? Maybe he can't use his powers but what if I can? If only I knew how to use them.

Supposing we were still alive in another four weeks, what would happen if they didn't turn up at Hogwarts? Would someone be sent to see why they hadn't come back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let us go?

The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, I felt Harry move around in his sleep.

"Stop it," I heard Harry muttered as the rattling pounded. "Leave me alone - cut it out - I'm trying to sleep -"

I opened my eyes when I heard Harry gasp.

Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window.

And someone was goggling through the bars at him: a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone.

Ron Weasley was outside our window.

* * *

**Then you have it! Please tell others about my story and please review… just one little word would be nice… please!**


	16. Burrow

**The chapters might come in slower for a while, but I promise to try my best. Please don't be too hard on me; I'm really stressed out right now.**

"Ron." breathed Harry. Harry and Bloom creeped to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you —? What the —?"

Bloom and Harry's mouth fell open as the full impact of what they was seeing hit them. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in midair.

Grinning at them from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers.

"All right, Harry?" asked George.

"What's up Baby Potter?" Fred grinned, knowing Bloom hated that nickname, but she was too shocked to glare at them.

"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles —"

"It wasn't me — and how did he know?"

"He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school —"

"You should talk," said Bloom, staring at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with —"

"I told you, I didn't — but it'll take too long to explain now — look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked us up and won't let us come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so —"

"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've come to take you home with us."

"But you can't magic me out either —"

"We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."

"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Harry.

"If the Dursleys wake up, we're dead," said Harry as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back."

Harry pulled Bloom back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized how important this was and kept still and silent.

The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. Harry and Bloom ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. They listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedroom.

When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to their window.

"Get in," Ron said.

"But all my Hogwarts stuff — my wand — my broomstick —"

"Where is it?"

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can't get out of this room —"

"No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Harry."

Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into Harry's room. Winking at Bloom as they passed by, causing her to roll her eyes.

George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock.

"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."

There was a small click and the door swung open.

"So — we'll get your trunk — you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron," whispered George.

"Watch out for the bottom stair — it creaks," Bloom whispered back,

"Aw, Baby Potter" the twins pretended to blush, "we didn't know you cared"

"I'm warning so we can leave without a sound, I wouldn't even leave _you two _here." She whispered back, as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.

Harry dashed around his room, collecting his things and passing them out of the window to Ron. Then he went to help Fred and George heave his trunk up the stairs. Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough.

At last, panting, they reached the landing, then carried the trunk through Harry's room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and Harry and George pushed from the bedroom side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window.

Uncle Vernon coughed again.

"A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from inside the car. "One good push..."

Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car.

"I'm about to have a heart failure" Bloom whispered as George and Harry helped her stand on the window.

"You'll be fine." George said but there was a hint of worry in his voice.

"Reach for my hand, Bloom." Ron said, I reached out and got a firm hold. "On the count of three jump and I'll pull you in."

"One… Two… Three!" Bloom tossed herself to the car as Ron pulled her in. Somehow she made it without hurting herself or Ron. She moved to get behind Ron, "Good job Baby Potter." Fred wink.

"Oh shut up." Bloom whispered climbing over the seat.

"Okay, let's go," George whispered.

But as Harry climbed onto the windowsill there came a sudden loud screech from behind him, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!"

Harry tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on — he snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window, and passed it out to Ron. He was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door — and it crashed open.

"Oh No!" Bloom moaned.

For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle.

Ron, Fred, and George seized Harry's arms and pulled as hard as they could.

"Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

"Let him go!" Bloom shouted as she reached out her window, somehow a small ball of fire or light appeared and shot off, nearly hitting Uncle Vernon in the arm. He yelped, weakening his grip on Harry, the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp — Harry was in the car — he'd slammed the door shut —

"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron and the car shot suddenly toward the moon.

They couldn't believe it — they were free.

Bloom rolled down the window, the night air whipping her hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all hanging, dumbstruck, out of their window.

"See you next summer!" Harry and Bloom yelled.

The Weasleys roared with laughter and Harry and Bloom settled back in his seat, grinning from ear to ear.

"Let Hedwig out," Harry told Ron. "She can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."

George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost.

"So — what's the story, Harry?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?"

Harry told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given Harry and the fiasco of the violet pudding. There was a long, shocked silence when he had finished.

"Very fishy," said Fred finally.

"Definitely dodgy" agreed George. "So he wouldn't even tell you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?"

"I don't think he could," said Harry. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall."

Bloom saw Fred and George look at each other. "What, you think he was lying to me?" said Harry.

"Well," said Fred, "put it this way — house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"

"Yes," said Harry and Ron together, instantly.

"Draco Malfoy," Harry explained. "He hates me."

"Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning around. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"

"Must be, it's not a very common name, is it?" said Harry.

"I've heard Dad talking about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," said Fred, craning around to look at Harry and Bloom, "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung — Dad reckons he was right in You- Know-Who's inner circle."

"I don't know whether the Malfoys own a house-elf…" said Harry.

"Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred.

"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George. "But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house…"

"By the way, Baby Potter" Fred said, causing Bloom to sigh again at the nickname.

"What was that you did back there?" finished George for him.

She turned to Ron, "You didn't tell them?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "Well no, I figured you'll only tell who you wanted to tell."

"Oh, thank you." Bloom turned back to the twins, "well, it's a bit confusing. Last year, Professor Dumbledore find out why I was causing some fires and um shields-"

"- shields that saved our lives!" Harry interpreted

"Well yeah that too… he said that I have a rare ability, the element power, I think that's what he called it."

Both twins turned to face Bloom, completely shocked, Fred even forgot that he was driving! Until they dropped a couple of feet, causing them to scream.

"I GOT IT!" He yelled as he got back the control of the car.

They shot back up; they didn't talk until the car steadied.

George turned back to her, "You… you have element powers? But… there hasn't been an element wizard- or witch" he added noticing Bloom's glare, "for years, I think even centuries… how… how is it possible for you to have them?"

Bloom shrugged, "I don't know, Professor Dumbledore said the other professor would help me as much as they can, but there's no real specialist to this."

"Wow… Well-" George started

"I don't think we'll be calling you-"

"_Baby Potter_ anymore-"

"You might set us on fire."

Bloom grinned, "Of course not! I would never do that…"

They all gave her a look that seemed to say; _you're not fooling anyone._

"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?" Harry asked

"He works in the most boring department," said Ron. "The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

"The what?"

"It's all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare — Dad was working overtime for weeks."

"What happened?"

"The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic — it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office — and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up —"

"But your dad — this car —"

Fred laughed. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."

"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes… Just as well, it's getting light…"

A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east.

Fred brought the car lower, and Bloom saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees.

"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole."

Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees.

"Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Harry looked out for the first time at Ron's house.

Bloom had already been there, but the place still blew her mind away.

It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," said Ron.

"It's wonderful," said Harry happily

They got out of the car.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car."

"I don't think that's going to work." Bloom stated

"Bloom, you'll be sleeping in Ginny's room," said Ron. "Come on, Harry, I sleep at the — at the top —"

Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other three wheeled around.

Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger right now.

"Ah, "said Fred.

"Oh, dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket.

"So," she said.

"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to —"

All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone — could have crashed — out of my mind with worry — did you care? — never, as long as I've lived — you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy —"

"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.

"Idiot." Bloom whispered to herself, honestly Fred was just making it worse for them.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job —"

It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Bloom and Harry, who backed away.

"I'm very pleased to see you, Bloom and Harry, dear," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast."

She turned and walked back into the house, Bloom followed her without fear while Harry, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded encouragingly, followed her.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, and Harry sat down on the edge of his seat, looking around. He had never been in a wizard house before.

The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like _Time to make tea_, _Time to feed the chickens_, and _You're late. _

Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking, and One Minute Feasts — It's Magic! And unless Harry's ears were deceiving him, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."

Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know what you were thinking of," and "never would have believed it."

"I don't blame you, dear," she assured Harry, tipping eight or nine sausages onto his plate.

Bloom was happily eating; she was used being in the Weasley's home.

"Arthur and I have been worried about you, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to his plate) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country — anyone could have seen you —"

She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.

"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"They were starving them, Mum!" said George.

"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him. At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran to Bloom.

"Bloom! I've missed you! When did you get here? Why didn't you answer my letters?"

Bloom smiled at her friend, "Sorry, it's a bit hard to explain, I'll tell you later."

She nodded then looked at Harry, "Hello Harry, I'm Ginny!"

Harry blinked twice, " Oh, um. Hi."

Ginny nodded again and sat next to Bloom.

"Blimey, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and —"

"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again —"

"Oh, Mum —"

"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You can go up to bed, dear," she added to Harry and Bloom. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car —"

But Harry, who felt wide awake, said quickly, "I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming —"

"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject —"

And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. George groaned.

"Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden —"

Bloom looked at the cover of Mrs. Weasley's book. Written across it in fancy gold letters were the words Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. There was a big photograph on the front of a very good-looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, who Bloom supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking cheekily up at them all. Mrs. Weasley beamed down at him.

"Oh, he is marvelous," she said. "He knows his household pests, all right, it's a wonderful book…"

"Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper.

"Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs. Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."

Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Harry behind them.

"Wanna come to my room after you're nothing eating, Bloom" Ginny asked, "I bet you're tired."

"Sure, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep." They talked between swallows, talking about anything they can think of and Hogwarts.

A few minutes later, Mr. Weasley came in.

Mr. Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn.

The boys came back in.

"What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat down around him. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned…"

Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.

"Find anything, Dad?" said Fred eagerly.

"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr. Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, though. Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some extremely odd ferrets, but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness…"

"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" said George.

"Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr. Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it… Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking — they'll insist they just keep losing it. Bless them, they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it's staring them in the face… But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe —"

"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"

Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. Mr. Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife.

"C-cars, Molly, dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly."

Mr. Weasley blinked.

"Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth… There's a loophole in the law, you'll find… As long as he wasn't intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn't —"

"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry and Bloom arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"

"Harry?" said Mr. Weasley blankly. "Harry who?"

He looked around, saw Harry, and jumped.

"Good lord, is it Harry Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about —"

"Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"

"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I — I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that — that was very wrong, boys — very wrong indeed…"

"Let's leave them to it," Ron muttered to Harry as Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my bedroom."

They slipped out of the kitchen and down a narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which wound its way, zigzagging up through the house.

Ginny and Bloom went on way, while Harry and Ron went another way. "See you later guys." Bloom called out as she closed the door.

**There you go. I hope you like. Please review! And thanks to my wonderf****ul Beta Mira Black-Snape!**


	17. Welcome Back

**I am so sorry for the late chapter, I had so much to do I just finish three quarters of my homework, assignments and so much more. I'm taking a break right now so I can write it. please forgive me.**

* * *

Welcome Back

Life at the Burrow was as different as possible from life on Privet Drive.

The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. Bloom saw Harry got a shock the first time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!" The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal.

Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of Harry's socks and claimed both of them were too skinny, she tried to force them to eat fourth helpings at every meal. Mr. Weasley liked Harry and Bloom to sit next to him at the dinner table so that he could bombard him with questions about life with Muggles, asking him to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked.

"Fascinating." he would say as Harry talked him through using a telephone. "Ingenious, really, how many ways Muggles have found of getting along without magic."

Harry and Bloom heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after they had arrived at the Burrow. Harry and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny and Bloom already sitting at the kitchen table. The moment Bloom and Ginny saw their siblings, they smiled and took the leftover bacon, making their older brothers glare at them as they smiled innocently.

"Letters from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry, Bloom — doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two have got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.

Bloom noticed that their pajamas were the same, blue with cute white clouds, the kind you see on children. Bloom couldn't wait to blackmail them with it. And if only she had a camra…

For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. Harry's told him to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first.

Bloom had already gotten her letter, but it was the first time she really read her supply list.

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

43 Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Harry's then at Bloom's.

At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.

"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive…"

"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny.

She nodded, as she took a bite out of her breakfast.

Just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.

"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."

He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, gray feather duster — at least, that was what Bloom thought it was, until she saw that it was breathing.

"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. "Finally— he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."

He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud:

_Dear Ron, and Harry and Bloom if you're there,_

_I hope everything went all right and that Harry and Bloom are okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get them into trouble, too._

_I've been really worried and if they're all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl because I think another delivery might finish your one off._

_I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course'— _

At that point all the Weasley kids and Potters looked up, "How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation!

Everyone's faces looked like they agreed with Ron.

—_'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can._

_Love from Hermione.'_

"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"

Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasley's owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high.

The boys didn't exactly let the girls play; claiming that they played hard and they would only get hurt. Bloom told them not to worry about themselves, grabbed Harry's broom. Jumped on and shouted to Ginny to hop on. After half an hour they came back down and let the guys play, but when they landed, the girls saw their brothers' shocked faces.

"Okay" Fred started, "maybe you won't get hurt but-"

"-It doesn't mean you should play-"

"- we'll be worried if you get hurt-"

"-and Mum would kill us."

That being said, They shot off, Harry gave Bloom an apologize look before shooting off. The girls just sat on the grass and watched them play.

They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.

Bloom had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time.

"Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred, frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing Harry and Bloom's puzzled look. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame."

Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Harry and Bloom had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything…"

Harry and Bloom said nothing. They felt a bit awkward. Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that their parents had left them. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that they had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. They had never mentioned his Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; They didn't think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold.

Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.

"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today… Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"

And she offered him the flowerpot.

Harry and Bloom stared at them all watching him.

"W-what am I supposed to do?" Harry stammered.

"They'd never traveled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, guys, I forgot."

"Never?" said Mr. Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"

"I went on the Underground —"

"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators? How exactly —"

Bloom hid a giggle in her hand.

"Not now, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before —"

"He'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, watch us first."

He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, he turned back to the family, "Wanna come, Bloom?" he grin as Bloom threw him a glare, and threw the powder into the flames.

With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.

"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Bloom as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate…"

"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too.

"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly —"

"He'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder too.

"But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain to his aunt and uncle?"

"They wouldn't mind," Harry reassured her. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if we got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that —"

"Well… all right… you go after Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going."

"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.

"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot —"

"Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace —"

"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George.

Trying hard to bear all this in mind, Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash.

He looked at Bloom, "See you soon. D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed.

And the flames swallowed him.

"Oh no." Bloom heard Mrs. Weasley say

"What is it?" Bloom asked

"He didn't speak clearly. I don't know where he'll end up. We better find him soon." Mrs. Weasley turned to Ginny, "Go with your dad. I'll take Bloom. We don't want to lose her too."

Mrs. Weasley held onto Bloom's hand as they stepped into the flames.

It felt as though she was being sucked down a giant drain.

She seemed to be spinning very fast — the roaring in her ears was deafening — she tried to keep her eyes open but the whirl of green flames made her feel sick —something hard knocked her elbow and she tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning — now it felt as though cold hands were slapping her face — squinting she saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond —she closed her eyes again wishing it would stop, and then…

Then she fell forward but luckily Mrs. Weasley was still holding onto her.

Diagon Alley was the same like last time she was there, and yet it was completely different.

"Come one, Bloom. Harry knows we'll be going to Gringotts. He might be there now."

They fought against the crowd as they ran to Gringotts, Mr. Weasley and Ginny should be not far behind.

"Oh, Harry — oh, my dear — you could have been anywhere —"

Bloom looked up and saw her brother with the Weasley boys and Hagrid.

"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.

Bloom stood close to Harry as she waved goodbye to Hagrid.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked, they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.

"No, he was selling —"

"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"

"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew —"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.

"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.

"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasley's and Harry and Bloom were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.

The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train tracks through the bank's underground tunnels.

Harry and Bloom enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasley's vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag.

Bloom felt even worse when they reached Harry and hers vault. They tried to block the contents from view as she and Harry hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag.

Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny and Bloom. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.

Harry led Bloom to Madam Malkin, she was told to stand on a small stool as she pulled out her measuring tape and began her work. Bloom never liked to hold still, so it was a bit hard for her not to move around as much.

But finally she was done; Bloom now had five uniforms for school. It was decided that after getting her books, she would go get her wand.

The best for last they headed for Flourish and Blotts.

They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

will be signing copies of his autobiography

MAGICAL ME

today 12:30P. 4:30P.M.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

"What's so great about him?" Bloom asked

"Oh Bloom you haven't read his books! He's amazing!"

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies… Don't push, there… mind the books, now…"

Harry, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 but Bloom got Grade 1 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…"

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.

A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet —"

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron — and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly;

"And it's Bloom Potter! The Potter siblings!" Lockhart shouted.

Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry and Bloom's arm, and pulled them to the front. The crowd burst into applause. Bloom's face burned as Lockhart shook her and Harry's hand one at the time for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smile, Potters," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, we are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of Harry's hand, they tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around their shoulders and clamped them tightly to his side.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!

"When young Harry and Bloom here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography — which I shall be happy to present them now, free of charge —" The crowd applauded again.

"They had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving them a little shake that made Harry's glasses slip to the end of his nose, "that they would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. They and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and Bloom found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, she managed to make they way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.

"You have these," Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own —"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice

Bloom looked up and found Harry face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who Harry told her a lot about

"Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny, she was glaring at Malfoy

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."

Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.

Before Bloom could shout something at Malfoy she heard

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids… I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

"Hey!" Bloom shouted, but he ignored her

"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower."

There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf.

Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; while Bloom shouted, "Get him, Mr. Weasley"; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please — please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all —

"Break it up, there, gents, break it up —"

Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools.

"Aw, Hagrid why did you stop them?" Bloom and the twins asked then stared at each other for saying the same thing.

Malfoy Sr. was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.

"Here, girl — take your book — it's the best your father can give you —" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that — no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter — bad blood, that's what it is — come on now — let's get outta here."

The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.

"A fine example to set for your children… brawling in public… what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought —"

"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report — said it was all publicity —"

They all headed to Ollivanders for Ginny and Bloom's wand

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair. Bloom felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. It was Ollivander.

Ginny went up first; her wand was made of Holly, 8.5 inches with the core being the tail from a female Unicorn.

Bloom on the other hand took a while; the twins were sitting on the floor when Ollivander took the tenth wand from her. It seemed to go on and on.

Then he pulled out a thin wand.

He passed it to Bloom slowly, "This is one of my more promising wands, let's see."

As soon as Bloom touched it, a warm feeling flowed through her. She gave it a wave causing a small flame come out, the flame grew and became a fierily bird, it flew around her head and disappeared.

Everyone stared at her causing her to blush.

"Well," Ollivander said after a long pause, "it's seems you have found your wand." He took it back and placed it back in its back before giving it back to her, "its 10.25 inches Mahogany, Willow and phoenix feather. Great for charm work and transfiguration… having a phoenix feather it might have another specialty."

Bloom quickly paid and they went on their way. No one spoken about what happened; they made their way back to the Leaky Chardon, ready to end their day.

* * *

**There you go… I hope you liked it. please review! And thanks to my favorite Beta… Mira Black-Snape!**


	18. Where are they? What Happened

**Okay, I'm back. I'm working on the chapter now. My first class was cancelled so I'm going to type out as much as I can. I hope I will be able to finish it today. But I doubt it. anyways, here it goes. Happy Day of The Dead. **

_**This Chatper is written for my Grandfather who passed away. Miss you Tata.**_

* * *

The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for Bloom's liking.

She was looking forward to Hogwarts, but her month at the Burrow had been the happiest of her life. It was difficult not to feel jealous of Ginny when she thought of the Dursleys and the sort of welcome she could expect next time she and Harry turned up on Privet Drive.

On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Bloom and Harry's favorite things, ending with a mouth-watering treacle pudding.

Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.

It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.

Harry and Bloom couldn't see how eight people, six large trunks, two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. He had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added.

"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to them as he opened the trunk and showed him how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily.

When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Harry, Bloom, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?"

Harry and Bloom avoided her eyes

She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"

Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Harry and Bloom turning back for a last look at the house. They barely had time to wonder when they'd see it again when they were back. George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks.

Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick.

"How could you forget your broomstick?" Bloom asked him when he got back in the car.

"I was told someone had it!" Fred glaring at his laughing twin

They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary.

By the time she had clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high.

Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife.

"Molly, dear —"

"No, Arthur —–"

"No one would see — this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed — that'd get us up in the air — then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser —"

Bloom bite down on her lips to stop herself from laughing.

"I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight —"

They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.

The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing.

"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier.

Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next.

"I feel sick" Bloom announced out of nowhere.

Fred and George turned to look at her pale face; they had forgotten it was her first year.

They smiled, "No worries Bloom-"

"We got you"

Both grabbed her hands and pulled her in before she could notice what they were doing.

Bloom shut her eyes and tried to keep up with the twins, last time she did it was easier, she didn't have to go to Hogwarts, but this year she did and her nerves were starting to kill her.

"You can open your eyes now."

Slowly opening one eye then the other, she started to feel more nervous by the second.

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny stood behind them.

"Hurry Kids! The train!"

They only had seconds left, one by one they jumped on the train and Mr. Weasley closed the door behind them.

"Don't be nervous girls!" they heard Mrs. Weasley shout, "You'll be fine. Fred! George! Behave! And look after Harry and Ron!"

The train was moving, they quickly began to search for a compartment.

"We'll be back in a bit" George said, "We have to find Lee.

"We'll come get you later." Fred finished as they walked off.

Bloom turned to Ginny, "Ginny… where are Harry and Ron?"

Ginny blinked twice then looked around, "I don't know. Do you think they went with the twins?"

"I didn't see them." Bloom bit her lower lip, maybe they went to find Hermione. Let's look around."

They must have looked around the train at least twice. But there was no sign of them, they even asked other students.

And finally they found Hermione.

"Have you seen the boys?" they asked each other when they saw each other.

Bloom bite down on her thumb, "What do we do? What if they missed the train?"

"Let's ask Percy" Hermione said, they got up and went to the prefect compartment. Percy asked why they weren't in their own compartment and went on about how only perfects were allowed there. It took all of Bloom's willpower not to shout. After they explained that Ron and Harry were missing. They perfects got up to look for them, Percy went an owl to his parents while another went one to the school. With no luck in finding them, all they could do was wait.

They went back to the compartments, but all of them were full expect for one, that only had a blonde girl sitting alone.

Bloom opened the door, "Excuse me, can we sit here?"

The blonde girl turned to face them, she had the biggest eyes Bloom had ever seen; it was like the girl was in a state of shock.

"Yes, go ahead." She answered in a dreamy voice.

One by one they sat down, Bloom sat in front of the blonde girl. Ginny sat next to her and Hermione sat in front of her.

After an awkward silence, "Hi, I'm Bloom"

The blonde looked at her for a few seconds, like she was searching for something. "Luna Lovegood."

Bloom smiled, "These are my friends, Hermione Granger. She's a second year. Ginny Weasley, she's in my year. We're first years. What about you?"

Luna tilted her head as she stared at each one of them, "I'm a first year too."

Bloom's smile widen, "That's great! We don't really know any other first years. Oh we can be friends! What do you think? Wanna be friends?"

If it was even possible, Luna's eyes widen even more. Bloom thought she was going to cry, before Bloom could open her mouth-

"Oh yes please. I don't have any friends."

All three girls stared at her; Bloom felt a familiar feeling in her stomach.

"You don't have any friends? At all?" Ginny asked

Luna nodded, "I don't know why… people don't like me."

Bloom stood up and grabbed both of Luna's hands. "Don't worry about that, Luna! From now on we're going to be the best of friends. We'll always be by your side, no matter what!" Bloom turned to the other two; she knew there was some kind of fierily look in her eyes, "Right girls!"

Ginny and Hermione smiled and nodded.

Looking back at Luna, Bloom noticed that this time she really was crying.

"Luna! Are you okay?"

Luna sniffed, "Yes, I am just happy."

They started asking Hermione about her first year. Bloom knew she was being careful of not talking about what happened in her first year. Then Luna started talking about strange creatures that Bloom had never heard of. Hermione and Luna began to argue. Hermione needed facts and proof that something was real while Luna was… Luna. Ginny and Bloom followed the argument like a tennis match. Right when it seemed that Hermione was going to attack Luna, Bloom stepped in.

"Think about it this way, Hermione. There has to be someone to find out about these creatures so you can read about them. And that's Luna does. I bet in the future they'll be books all about them." Bloom said and quickly gave Hermione a look meaning 'just agree with me and shut up'.

Hermione seemed to want to argue back but nodded. "I guess you're right. To find something, someone must discover it first. Sorry Luna."

"It's okay Hermione."

The train rides seem to go on and on. Bloom's mind went back to worrying about Harry, where could he possibly be? She couldn't even remember if he even made it through the barrier. Bloom looked around the compartment; the girls seemed to have fallen asleep. Bloom envied them; she wished she could sleep without worries. Barely eleven years old and she had more worries than a normal adult. What if Voldemort or one of his followers got to him and Ron? They could be hurt and here she was, sitting with her friends, not able to help her brother. Bloom wished she had Hedwig, maybe she could have used her to find Harry.

* * *

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Bloom shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Bloom heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Bloom?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Bloom turned to Hermione, "I'll see you later."

Hermione gave a quick nod before leaving.

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Bloom thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Bloom, Ginny and Luna climbed into one boat. Then someone Bloom never thought she'll see at Hogwarts climbed on.

**(I was planning on leaving it there, but I'm not evil. Well not THAT evil. So you're welcome =D)**

* * *

"ABE!"

Abe just grinned at her. Bloom was sure she looked like a fish out of water.

"Bloom, do you know him?" Ginny asked, but Bloom was too shocked to answer her.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"What are you doing here?" Bloom asked getting over her shock.

Abe continued to grin, "Going to school of course."

Bloom glared, "Why didn't you tell me you would be coming here?"

"How was I supposed to know that _you_ would be coming here?"

Bloom seemed to want to throw him off the boat. And Abe seemed to notice that so he quickly added, "If I had known I would have told you!"

Bloom turned away from him, trying to calm her temper, after a few seconds of silent Bloom spoke again, "Fine."

"So Bloom," Ginny started, "who is he?"

Bloom seemed to snap out of her mood, "Oh sorry, he's a friend from my old school, though more than half the time he annoyed me to death."

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Where do you want to be sorted?" Abe asked

"Gryffindor" Ginny and Bloom said at once

"I do not know" Luna said

"Why Gryffindor?"

"My whole family has been there." Ginny said simply

"Cool and you Bloom?"

Bloom looked at him then away, "Harry is there and I was told so were my parents."

"Harry is here too?"

"Yeah."

* * *

The door swung open at once. A familiar tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it.

The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Bloom could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

As soon as she left, everyone started to talk at once.

"How do you think they'll sort us?" Abe asked

"Don't know." Ginny answered.

Bloom noticed that everyone seemed paler expect for maybe her and Luna.

Then something happened that made her jump about a foot in the air — several people behind her screamed.

"What the —?"

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Bloom got into line behind Abe, with Ginny and Luna behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Bloom looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Bloom quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.

noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you"

By that time, Bloom zoned it out, looking for Harry. But she couldn't find him, she only found Hermione and the Weasely twins plus Percy. The twins caught her eye and winked at her. Bloom rolled her eyes and went back to listen to the hat.

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said

"Adeeb, Gail" a girl with a mop of black hair walked up to the hat, it barely touched her before shouting "HUFFLEPUFF" the table on the right cheered and clapped as Gail went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bloomington, Ken" a tall boy with sandy hair got up. It took a solid minute before shouting, "RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Ken as he joined them.

More and more students went up until they finally reached L.

"Lovegood, Luna"

Bloom held Luna's hand before Luna walked up to the hat. The hat seemed to take it's time with her. "RAVENCLAW!"

A part of Bloom was sad but she was happy for Luna. Luna skipped down before smiling at Bloom and the others.

And then "Potter, Bloom"

Ginny squeezed her hand quickly and Abe pushed her with his shoulder, in a kind-ish way.

As Bloom stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"_The_ Bloom Potter?"

"So the Potter siblings are finally here"

Bloom felt their eyes on her back making her blush. The last thing Bloom saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited

Hmm," said a small voice in her ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, you seem to be a lot like your parents, now that's interesting…So where shall I put you?"

_GRYFFINDOR_! Bloom shouted in her mind

"You sure? You would be great in Ravenclaw. You have a good mind. A loyal friend too, cunning when you have to be and really brave…. Well I guess it'll be…"

**(okay I'll thinking of ending it here… but Harry and Ron haven't showed soo… and i already said that i'm not evil)**

* * *

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Bloom heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. She was so relieved to have been chosen into her family's house, she hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet.

The Weasley twins stood on their seat and shouted, "We got Baby Potter! We got Baby Potter!" Bloom was too relieved to glare at them or tell them to knock it off.

Bloom could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs up. Bloom smiled back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore.

"Redfern, Aberam"

Bloom looked up to watch as her friend walked up. The Hat touched his head and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Bloom smiled as he ran up to her and sat beside her, completely pushing people away from her. Bloom could feel the twins questionable stares, blushing she decided to ignore them. she could hear them calling her.

"Yo! Bloom, whose the kid?"

"Yeah, Bloom. You never mentioned a boy before?"

Bloom pretended to be interested in the sorting.

Finally it was Ginny's turn. The hat had only tapped her when it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"

She wobbly walked to the talk and sat in front of Bloom. Ginny looked beyond relieved.

Finally the sorting was done.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.

The dishes in front of her were now piled with food. She had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

"Holy mother" Bloom whispered, even though she had seen it before it still amazed her.

Bloom helped herself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half," said a girl with curly hair, "My father's a wizard and mom's a muggle."

"I'm a pure-blood" Ginny said

"I'm half as well. Though I didn't know, dad's a muggle and mom's a witch. They didn't know if I'll get magic so they hid it until I started to get signs of magic." Bloom noticed that that did make sense.

Abe turned to her, "What about you Bloom?"

Everyone seemed to stop eating and stare at him like her was insane. He noticed, "What?"

"You don't know who _she_ is? Who her _brother_ is? Surely you have heard of the famous Potter siblings" said the girl with curly hair.

"What are you talking about? She's Bloom and her brother is Harry. Of course I know them. We went to school together."

The stares just continued, "That's not what they mean Abe." Ginny whispered, looking at Bloom worriedly. Bloom looked down at her face, looking away from everyone.

"What is it?" Bloom could hear a hint of worry.

"Bloom?" Ginny looked at her, like she was asking permission.

Bloom sighed, "Just tell him. He'll find out soon enough."

Bloom heard Ginny swallow before turning to tell Abe all about Voldemort and her family. Bloom tried to block everything out but it was hard. She started to look around for Harry. She looked up at the teacher's table. She felt someone staring at her; she turned her head and made eye contact with Professor Snape. His expression made her freeze. He stared at her like he couldn't believe she was real. Bloom also saw that there was _longing _in his eyes. His eyes seemed so dark and sad that Bloom couldn't look away until –

"Bloom!"

Bloom jumped and turned to face Abe's worried expression. _Great he knows_

"Are you okay? You seemed to be out of it."

"Oh umm yeah, I was just wondering where Harry was."

He didn't seem to buy it but let it go.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

Bloom couldn't help but smile at the twins' innocent look

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Bloom noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Bloom's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Bloom was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Broomstick"

and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.

Bloom got up slowly and walked down the stairs, she had promised Hermione that she would meet her there.

They decided that Hermione would look outside before curfew. Bloom and a hand full of older students were in the common room, as well as the Twins.

"So, are you going to tell us now who he was?"

"Or are we going to ask him?"

Bloom rolled her eyes, she seemed to be doing that a lot around them, "He's a friend from school, I didn't know he was a wizard and neither did he know I was a witch. Now shut up! I'm waiting for Harry."

"We're waiting for them too. But we heard rumors… want to know them?"

"Spill…"

"They're saying that our dear brothers took Dad's car and brought it here. They crashed into the Whomping willow, but otherwise fine. No idea what happened to the car though."

Not long after the door opened, "Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years!"

Good on you," said a fifth-year

Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't you call us back, eh?"

"Where have you been?" Bloom shouted, "Do you have any idea how scared I was, you idiots! You could have sent Hedwig to let me know you were alive but No! What kind of big brother worries their little sister like that? You missed my sorting! You git!" everyone seemed to back away from her.

Ron and Harry smiled apologetic, "Sorry, I promise to explain it later."

With that Bloom turned and marched upstairs, but not before hearing, "It's true then, red-heads do have a temper"

Bloom jumped on her bed and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

**There you go! Please review! Please! i wrote a lot for you! please review! and thanks to my Beta! Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape **


	19. He Makes Me Smile

**Hello Everyone!**

**Okay, I'm writing this chapter now, it's a bit difficult and I'm trying to add as much emotion as possible. I have something in mind for Bloom and everyone else. Though I can't decide on what I want… it'll take me a while to write this. As soon as I finish I'll seen it to my Beta; Mira Severus Sirius Snape Black. Don't forget to review people, the more I get reviews the faster I type it.**

* * *

**He Makes Me Smile**

The next morning, Bloom woke up around five thirty to six in the morning. Throughout the night, she was tossing and turning. Ginny and the other three girls were sound sleep. Bloom could believe how easily they could sleep. Bloom was lucky to have slept six hours; she was not a morning person by all means. Bloom was a noon person and if she didn't have at least nine hours of sleep let's just say muggles would easily see how she could be a witch.

Bloom was too wire up to go back to sleep. She got up and walked to the bathroom, she began to wash her face. She thought just maybe the cold water would relax her but instead it just woke her up more. She brushed her teeth and then started brushing her hair. She didn't know what to do with it, she never really cared, but this was her first day. She wanted to at least look nice. After a few minutes she decided just to leave it down. She grabbed her uniform and changed, she looked different but yet the same. She checked herself, her hair was straight down but her ends were curled. Her uniform made her look paler but not a sickly pale. Her eyes were a bit red from the lack of sleep; her hazel eyes looked greener than usually.

With one finally look, she turned away and went out of the room. She got out of the tower and began to walk towards the Grand Hall. As she walked, she looked around. It amazed her that she could still get lost. She was sure she was almost there when she saw the library.

"Great" Bloom whispered, "I'm lost. I've been her how many times and I still get lost. What a great way to start my Hogwarts year."

"You okay?" asked a voice behind her.

Bloom turned around to be faced with a boy with dark brown, so dark that it could pass for black. He had clear blue eyes; he was at least three inches taller than her, maybe four.

"Oh yes," Bloom answered, "I'm just a bit lost."

He smiled, "Heading to breakfast?"

Bloom nodded

"I'll take you there."

They walked in silences, Bloom didn't know why but she was blushing. Maybe she was embarrasses that she got lost.

"By the way, I'm Terry Boot. Ravenclaw"

"Oh, I'm Bloom" She really didn't want to say her last name, but she had no chose, "Potter."

Terry looked at her and then back up front, "You don't look like your brother."

Bloom smiled, "Yeah. We've been told that a lot. The only thing that we have the same is our eye shape, so I'm told."

Terry stopped causing her to stop and look at him. He was looking at her again; at her eyes.

His intense stare was making Bloom blush.

"I never really noticed Harry's eyes."

They started walking again. This time it was an awkward silence. She wanted to break it, somehow but she couldn't find a way to break it.

"Nervous for class?" he asked

"A little, Harry and the others say I'll do fine but I'm really nervous, especially for Potions. Harry says that Snape- I mean Professor Snape will be really mean." Bloom answered trustfully.

To her surprise, Terry smiled, "Don't worry too much about him. He's a git to everyone."

They finally made it to the Great Hall. They said their goodbyes and went to their own tables. To Bloom's surprise, Hermione was already there and staring at her.

"Bloom, you're here early!"

"I would have been here earlier except I got lost."

"Really? So that was why Boot was with you? I know him from class."

"Yeah, I ran into him at the library. I have no idea how I got there though. He was the only one there."

Hermione gave her a strange look, "Well he seems really nice and he's really smart. You pick well Bloom."

Bloom felt herself heat up, "Hermione," she whispered, "it's not like that! He was just kind enough to help him. Don't make it into anything big."

Hermione giggled, "Okay. Okay. But if you need to talk, I'm here"

"Gee, thanks… by the way, don't you dare tell Harry about this."

"Aw, take away my fun."

"Hermione, promise me you won't tell"

"Tell what?"

Bloom and Hermione jumped. Harry, Ron and the Twins were behind them, looking at them; like they were trying to make them talk.

"Umm nothing" the girls said in sync.

"Where's Ginny?" Bloom quickly asked, wanting to change the topic.

"She's getting her things ready. She should be here in a few minutes." Ron said as he piled his food.

As they ate, Bloom looked around, hoping to find Luna before class. More and more students came in, every once in a while Bloom would look at the Ravenclaw table, hoping to find her blonde friend, but instead her eyes traveled to Terry Boot. Bloom couldn't understand why her eyes would find him so fast and it annoyed her.

"Bloom, why didn't you wait for us?"

Bloom turned around to be faced with Ginny and Abe, "Sorry, I couldn't sleep. I came here instead."

"Oh" Ginny seemed to take it and sat down, but not Abe, he glared at her.

"Why were you staring at the Ravenclaw table?"

Everyone turned to face her now. "If you must know," she snapped, "I was looking for Luna, my friend." She did tell the truth, just not all of it.

"Bloom!" what was with everyone shouting her name today? But this time it was someone she wanted to see.

"Luna!" Bloom jumped up and ran to her friend to hug her.

"How's your house, Luna? Is everyone treating you alright? Have you made any new friends? How are you?"

To Bloom's surprise, Luna laugh. "I am fine. My housemates are friendly. Oh I heard you were with Second year Terry Boot, is it true?"

Bloom froze where she stood; she felt her friends and Harry's eyes on her. She kept her eyes tightly closed; she didn't dare to open them.

"Bloom" said a really low voice; she knew it was her brother.

Bloom whined and slowly turned to him, "Yes?" She said sweetly.

She opened her eyes, Harry wasn't glaring at her. He was glaring at the back of Terry's head. "Why were you with Boot?"

"No reason, I was lost and he helped me. That's all."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Bloom rolled her eyes, "Because I knew you would get this way. You always do that. Besides, he just helped me out so stop glaring at him."

After that Harry calm down, Bloom hoped he cooled off enough, she didn't want any problems today.

* * *

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic; Harry was right about this class.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Bloom's name he gave an excited squeak and stared at her with tearful eyes.

Professor McGonagall was strict and clever; she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.

After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, Bloom and Abe were able to make any change to the needle.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Lockhart's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Ginny's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done—"

"It's not like we had a choice in the matter." Abe whispered, luckily Lockhart didn't hear.

"— I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start —now!"

Bloom looked down at her paper and read:

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

"What is this?" Bloom asked herself.

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"

He went on and on about his books and his accomplishments, most of the boys were falling asleep, lots of girls were catching his every word. Expect for Bloom and Ginny, they couldn't understand how anyone could believe _he _had done everything his books said. And then finally they were let go. The boys plus Bloom and Ginny ran out as quickly as they could.

* * *

On Friday they had Potions, Bloom was really nervous for this class. She was really looking forward to it but she was really nervous about the Professor.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Bloom's name for a moment then quickly recovered. Ginny and Bloom shared a look but quickly went back to playing attention to Professor Snape.

You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone expect Bloom, he didn't seem to want to say anything to her but whenever he did, it was in a different tone of voice he usually used. At five to three they went to lunch.

"That was weird." Ginny stated

"What was?"

"Professor Snape, he was nice to you Bloom. He's never been nice to anyone expect his house. Professor Snape would even send letters home because of the Twins. I have never seen him nice to anyone before."

"He can't be that bad." Abe said

"He took fifty points off the twins when they were late. It was their first year. On their first day."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, that's why I can't believe he was kind to Bloom when he really hates Harry."

They ate their lunch in silence, Bloom searched through her bag looking for her Potions books. "Guys, I can't find my Potion books, I think I left it in class. I'll be right back." She got up to leave.

"You want me to go with you?" Abe asked

"Oh no, I'll be fine." Bloom began to walk fast to the doors, once she turned the corner she bumped into someone, causing her to fall down.

"Ack!"

"Sorry!"

"Bloom?"

Bloom looked up, "Terry?"

"Why are you down there?"

"I forgot my textbook in class so I'm heading to Potions."

"Oh," he helped Bloom up, "you better early, I don't know if Professor Snape will still be there."

"Oh right, thanks!" Bloom began to run off

"Good Luck!"

* * *

Bloom ran all the way to the Potion classroom, luckily the classroom doors were still open. She peeked inside. "Hello? Professor"

She walked inside, looking around to anyone and her book. "Um. Anyone here?"

And then she saw her book by her desk, she walked to it and picked it up. "What are you doing here?"

Bloom squealed, "Ah!" she jumped and dropped her book. She turned around and saw Professor Snape by his chamber doors. "Oh, Professor! I'm sorry! I forgot my book, I came to get it! I'm sorry… but I did knock." She said simply.

Bloom noticed while she explained everything to him, he would stare sadly at her but when she sort of cheeked him his eyebrow shot up, he gave an amused look before quickly changing back to his emotionless face.

"Very well." He said and turned to leave.

"Professor!" Bloom shouted out without meaning too.

"What is it?"

"Um, well… I know it's not any of my business but… are you okay? You seem… upset." She couldn't find the right word to explain the vibe he gave off to her.

"Why would I be upset, Li-Potter." His tone was different again.

Bloom pout, "How should I know?" she tried to say it in the kindness way possible. But she could tell that he knew; she cheeked him, "But you seem like you're having some trouble with something, I just don't know what. But I do know you act different towards different people."

"Would you care to explain Potter" whenever he spoke to her, his tone was kind, careful. But whenever he said her last name, he said it with pure hatred.

"I know you don't like my brother. And I don't know why, but I know I can change that. But…." She stared at him, making him look at her eyes. "I feel like you like me, as a student of course, you seem so… mean to others and yet you treat me well. Why is that? What makes me so different? I would like an answer, I just feel guilt about being treated better than others. I know you won't tell me. I just wanted to speak my mind." Bloom picked up her books, "I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll leave now." She turned to leave when he spoke out.

"You remind me of my best friend, though my friend is gone now."

Bloom smiled, "I know I won't be the best, but can I be your friend?" she asked, "I never really had an adult to talk too. You know if I need help. I promise not to tell anyone."

"I will think about it… you should go now. Lunch is almost done."

Bloom's eyes widen, "oh no." she turned to run out, "Redfern better have not have eaten my food. I'll kill him!"

She didn't see Professor Snape smile as she ran out.

* * *

Bloom ran to the Gryffindor table, praying there was still some food left. As soon as she sat next to Harry, he glared at her. "What?"

"I had class with Boot today."

"So?"

"He told me that my eyes remind him of you. Why is that? Bloom."

Bloom decided to shove some food in her mouth at that moment.

* * *

**Ah there you go people! Please review and thank my Beta: Mira Severus Sirius Snape Black. **

**One more thing, I won't update if you don't review. I have a good number of people reading this story, so please just review. A simple word would do. and if you know people that like these kind of stories please let them know about mine. **

**Thank You!**


	20. On My Father's Wings

***IMPORTANT NEWS***

**Hello everyone. I have some news… the thing is that I don't know if I will continue this story. I mean I will try my best but you see… my mother is really sick right now. I know some of you have lost a parent and know the pain. So please. I beg you. Pray for my Mother, I still need her. I have younger siblings that need her too. The youngest just turned 11. I know it's a lot to ask, but please just help me through this. I promise to continue as far as I can and if I just need a break, I'll ask my Beta ****Mira Severus Sirius Snape Black**** to continue for me, I will of course help her/him until I'm ready to get back on my feet. **

**Thank you for understanding.**

* * *

**On my Father's wings**

When Bloom, Ginny and Abe returned to the common room, they were in for a surprise. The Gryffindor common room that made them all groan- a notice was pinned up- Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Can you believe it?" Bloom cheered, "We're finally going to learn how to fly!"

This is was she had been waiting for all last year and this year. Flying! Bloom couldn't wait, now Harry didn't have to intense that she needed him to fly.

"You've been on my brothers' broom, Bloom." Ginny stated, "Why are you so excited for this?"

"Because Harry would never let me fly by myself, he or someone must be there watching me. It's annoying as heck! But this! I can finally fly and not listen to his worried tone at all! It's freedom!"

Ginny smiled while Abe laughed. "I remember back at school, Harry would glare at any boy that got near Bloom." Abe said, "It was pretty funny to watch. There on was one guy though, that would not get the memo, Dudley's friend Piers."

Bloom felt chills go up her spine; Piers never left her alone and it creeped her out.

Ginny giggled at Bloom, "It's not funny, Ginny," Bloom pout, "He would never leave me alone. He even tried to make me share food with him. Food that his tongue had already touched! If it wasn't for Harry, I would have died!"

Abe and Ginny just continued to laugh, "See, this is why I like Luna more than you two,"

At three-thirty that afternoon, Bloom, Ginny, Abe and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground.

Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Bloom glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Bloom's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. She smiled as Abe's broom jumped on the third try.

He gave her a shut-up look when she smiled at him

Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —one"

Bloom as well as the others jumped. Some stayed on the ground, but not Bloom. She went a few feet, she wanted to go higher but Madam Hooch said to come back down.

"Good, some of you are getting the hang of it! Now, get in groups of three and try to fly a bit higher, then fly around for five minutes and back down." Madam Hooch ordered.

Everyone quickly got into teams, the first one up in the air though was Bloom, with Abe and Ginny right behind her.

She went up at least fifteen feet. She closed her eyes; she felt the air kiss her face and the wind blow through her clothes. If people looked at her, they would think she was meditating then just for a few moments, Bloom felt something she had never felt before.

She felt two arms around her, holding her gently. But no one was there; Ginny and Abe were flying around below her.

She knew she should be scared or at least worried, but she didn't. The arms were holding her gently, guiding her through the sky. It felt like someone was flying with her. She was so out of it she didn't even notice when she touched down to the ground. The lesson was over and yet the feeling around her was still there even though she knew whatever it was was gone. But she could still feel some touch though it was fading.

"That was great!" she heard Abe shout, "I've never felt anything like it!"

"I know! I just love flying." Ginny cheered

"Bloom what is it?"

Bloom was staring at three figures in the distance, "What are they doing?" she asked

"What?"

Bloom felt uneasy, she began to run towards the figures with Ginny and Abe right behind her.

Harry and Hermione were helping Ron walk with they got closer.

"What happened?" Bloom and Ginny shouted

"We'll explain later" Harry said

"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute - almost there -"

They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out.

"Quick, behind here," Harry and Bloom hissed, as Harry dragged Ron behind a nearby bush. Ginny and Abe obeyed and Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one - I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.

They waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently.

Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.

"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in - thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again -"

They walked in. Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair.

"Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron."

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand -"

Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry, making Bloom smile.

"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked, scratching Fang's ears.

"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and everyone looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job -"

"He was the on'y man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy called Hermione something - it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild." Harry said

Bloom, Ginny and Abe listened closely

"It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid -"

Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.

Ginny gasped

"He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.

"He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course -"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born - you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards - like Malfoy's family – who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."

"That's a little mean Ron." Bloom said

"I'm not saying it to be mean, besides it's not his fault. It's Snape's!" Bloom thinned her lips, she wanted to say something. To defend him but she knew it was true. "He's always scaring Neville. Plus Neville is a genius in Herbology."

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.

"It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."

He retched and ducked out of sight again.

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."

"Harry," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

That set Bloom off, she was laughing so hard that Harry snapped at her too.

"I have not been giving out signed photos," he said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around -"

"I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."

"Bet he didn't like that," said Harry, sitting up and rubbing his chin.

"Don' think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.

"No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."

"By the way, who are yeh?" Hagrid asked Abe.

"I'm Aberam Redfern, but please just call me Abe. I swear I don't know why my parents named me that."

"Redfern. I don't think I've ever heard that last name."

"Oh well. I'm adopted. So I don't really know what I am." Abe answered, there was no pain in his eyes.

* * *

"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as they finished the last of their tea.

In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Bloom had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder.

"Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast… should be big enough by then."

"What've you been feeding them?" said Harry.

Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.

"Well, I've bin givin' them - you know - a bit o' help -"

Harry and Bloom noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Bloom had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, she had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it.

Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Bloom nor Harry had never found out why - any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.

"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement.

"Well, you've done a good job on them." Ginny said.

* * *

They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter - Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."

"What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp.

"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley - elbow grease."

Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.

"And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall.

Bloom whined for Harry. As did the others, out of both punishments, Harry's seemed a lot worse.

"Oh n- Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately.

"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."

Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Harry didn't enjoy his shepherd's pie. Both he and Ron felt they'd got the worse deal.

"Don't worry Harry," Bloom said, "I'm sure it'll be over as soon as you know It." though she knew it was going to be hard for Harry.

"Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."

"I'd swap anytime," said Harry hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail - he'll be a nightmare -"

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Harry said his goodbyes.

"I feel bad for Harry." Ginny said as she, Bloom and Luna walked towards their table.

"Yes, as do i. Lockhart is not a very good teacher." Luna said dreamily with a hint of sadness.

They were at the library finishing their homework. Bloom was on her History of Magic essay. She wrote down everything she could remember but she was still three inches short. "Dang, I'm going to look for a book." She told the girls.

Bloom got up and looked around shelves and of course, the one book she needed was on the shelf she couldn't reach. The tips of her fingers could barely tap the book and there was nothing to stand on.

"Here" said a voice behind her

An arm reached up above her head and towards the book.

Bloom turned to see Terry Boot.

"It seems we always find each other near the library. Or book relative."

Bloom smiled, "Yeah. Who knew to find a Ravenclaw you had to go to the library."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"I thought so too."

"So why are you here so late?"

"Oh I'm finishing my History of Magic essay. Which by the way, I hate with a passion."

Terry smiled at her. Personally, Bloom liked Terry. He was kind to her and didn't really care that she was _The _Bloom Potter or that Harry was her brother. He was one of the few people that treated her like any other person. Most people asked her about Harry and about their _amazing _life. It was nice to talk to someone without someone asking for autograph or asking how they survived Voldemort's attack. Terry was one of the few people that made her feel right.

"So what were you doing here?" Bloom asked.

"I was going to check out a book. When I same a small cute little girl with fierily hair jumping up and down, failing to reach a book." Terry explained.

Bloom blushed when he called her cute but now her face matched her hair. Any words she was going to say were drowned into her throat. Until she finally was able to choke out her sentence, "It- it's not my fa-fault! They make these things too high!"

Terry started to laugh at her.

"Git." Bloom whispered

* * *

**There you go people. Please review. And thank my beta!**


	21. Follow the Pull

**Hi everyone!**

**My mother is slowly getting better. I've been helping her, making sure she doesn't move around too much, its 9 o'clock pm, I'm taking this time to write this chapter. I have my coconut cookies and my coffee with me. Let's get this started…**

* * *

**Follow The Pull**

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepper-up potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire. Harry demanded Bloom also take a Pepper-up potion, she told him that if he ordered her one more time she'll throw the potion on his head.

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds.

Harry's captain made so many practices, Bloom hardly saw Harry. Not that she was sad about it. It gave her time to visit Professor Snape without Harry knowing.

Harry told Bloom all about Malfoy's addition to the team. Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles.

* * *

"Professor, what is that for?" Bloom asked Professor Snape in one of her visits. She pointed at a Potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.

"It's the Polyjuice Potion, if you drink this you'll become someone else. But you'll need that persons' hair." Professor Snape answered.

"Eww. It doesn't look too good. Yuck, drinking hair." Bloom shaked her head side to side trying to get some image out of her mind, "Professor. Is there a potion to make someone's hair fall out?" Bloom asked with a gleam in her eyes.

Professor Snape's eyebrow rose up, "Why?"

"I'm not going to use it on you! I just…" Bloom huffed, "I just can't stand Lockhart! I swear if I hear one more '_Magical Me'_ quote I'll going to throw my '_Magical Me'_ at his head! He doesn't even know what he is doing! How are we supposed to learn with an idiot for a teacher?"

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea," Professor Snape said, "but you can get caught. Don't risk it Bloom."

Bloom started to smile, "Oh _I'm _not going to do it. The twins are. I'll just give them the idea and supplies they'll need. They'll be doing all the action stuff. That way, if they get caught it's not in _my _record. I'm only a first year; I want a clean record, at least until I'm in third or fourth year."

Professor Snape actually smiled, "Well… I can give you an extra credit project to do. It is a teacher's duty to help their students and that idiot deserves it."

Bloom's smile widens, "I knew you were my favorite teacher for a reason. When do we get started?"

* * *

Bloom was heading back to the common room to find the Weasley Twins; she couldn't wait to tell the twins her plan. It wasn't the best plan out there but it was a good plan. Bloom couldn't believe she was going to prank a teacher, but in her elementary she wouldn't dared but Lockhart wasn't there. Now that she met the man, it took all her self-control not to yell at the idiot's face. How could someone who "supposes" to do all those incredible things be so annoying? It didn't make sense, the only thing that did make sense was the Lockhart was lying, yet there was no proof otherwise the people would have complained by now.

"Bloom?"

Bloom turned around and saw Harry squelched along the deserted corridor. They came across somebody who looked just as preoccupied as he was. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "… don't fulfill their requirements… half an inch, if that…"

"Hello, Nick," said Bloom and Harry.

"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Bloom could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.

"You look troubled, young Mr. Potter," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.

"So do you," said Harry.

"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance… It's not as though I really wanted to join… Thought I'd apply, but apparently I don't fulfill requirements —" In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face. "But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"

"Oh — yes," said Bloom and Harry, who was obviously supposed to agree.

"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:

"'We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'"

Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.

"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, young Potters! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."

Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, "So — what's bothering you? Anything I can do?"

Bloom looked at Harry

"No," said Harry. "Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly—"

The rest of Harry's sentence was drowned out by a high-pitched mewling from somewhere near his ankles. They looked down and found themself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.

"You'd better get out of here, Young Potters," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood — he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place —"

"Right," said Harry, taking Bloom's hand, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to Harry's right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.

"Filth!" he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Harry's Quidditch robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potters!"

So they waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor. Harry nor Bloom had never been inside Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Bloom could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. She had to smile at that.

A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.

Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.

"Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies… frog brains… rat intestines… I've had enough of it… make an example… where's the form… yes…"

He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.

"Name… Harry Potter and Bloom Potter. Crime…"

"It was only a bit of mud!" said Harry while Bloom shouted it.

"It's only a bit of mud to you, boy, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. "Crime… befouling the castle… suggested sentence…"

Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Harry and Bloom who were waiting with bated breath for their sentence to fall.

But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.

"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"

And without a backward glance at Harry nor Bloom, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him.

Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. Harry didn't much like Peeves, but couldn't help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from Harry.

"Harry!" Bloom shouted, "What are we waiting for? Let's go! I don't want a detention on my record."

"I don't know Bloom, he'll come after us later on."

"You're right… great, I wanted a clean record on my first year."

They waited. Harry sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk.

"What's that?" Bloom asked staring at a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, Harry picked up the envelope and read out loud:

_Kwikspell_

_A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic_

Harry flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:

_Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wand work?_

_There is an answer!_

_Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!_

_Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:_

_"I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!"_

_Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:_

_"My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!"_

"I don't know, if my husband turned me into a yak, I'll leave him." Bloom said, Harry glaring at the parchment, like it was Bloom's husband. Bloom had to roll her eyes at him.

When shuffling footsteps outside told them Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Harry threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.

Filch was looking triumphant.

"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet —"

His eyes fell on Harry and Bloom and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Bloom realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.

Filch's pasty face went brick red. Harry and Bloom braced themself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.

"Have you — did you read —?" he sputtered.

"No," Harry lied quickly.

Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together.

"If I thought you'd read my private —not that it's mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however —"

Bloom and Harry was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help.

"Very well — go — and don't breathe a word — not that — however, if you didn't read — go now, I have to write up Peeves' report — go —"

Amazed at their luck, Harry sped out of the office, pulling Bloom with him up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.

"Harry! Bloom! Did it work?"

Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, Bloom could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.

"I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly. "Thought it might distract him —"

"Was that you?" said Harry gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get detention. Thanks, Nick!"

"Thank you Sir Nicolas." Bloom cheered.

They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, Harry and Bloom noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter…

"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," Harry said. Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry walked right through him.

He wished he hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower.

Bloom managed to dodge it by a hair.

"But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "Harry — would I be asking too much — but no, you wouldn't want —"

"What is it?" said Harry.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth Death Day," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.

"Oh," said Harry, not sure whether he should look sorry or happy about this. "Right."

"I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course — but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched Harry on tenterhooks.

"No," said Harry quickly, "I'll come —"

"My dear boy! Harry Potter, at my Death Day party! And —" he hesitated, looking excited "— do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"

"Of — of course," said Harry.

Nearly Headless Nick beamed at him and then turned to Bloom, "Oh, I'll go too. We owe you."

* * *

"A Death Day party?" said Ginny. They were currently siting in the common room. They sat near the fire to keep warm.

"What is that?" Abe asked.

"I think it's when they celebrate the day they die." Bloom answered

"Why would they celebrate that? It's sounds kind of sad."

"Well, I'm going. I don't feel like celebrating Halloween." Bloom said. The word _Halloween _came out with hatred and sadness, "I hate Halloween."

"Why?" Abe asked, "How can a kid hate Halloween?"

Ginny stayed quiet. She looked at Bloom with worried eyes.

Bloom's eyes stayed force on the fire, "It's the day Harry and I became orphans." Bloom whispered, "The day everyone celebrates for the downfall of Voldemort. But for Harry and me… it's the day our parents were killed."

Ginny whined.

Abe gasped, "Oh I'm sorry Bloom. I forgot."

"It's okay. I try to forget too." Bloom smiled at him, even though the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Hey! Guys!" the twins jumped down the stairs.

"What's up?" Ginny said, Bloom knew she was trying to break the tension.

Fred and George Weasley answered together, "We trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander."

"Where did you get the salamander?" Bloom asked. She loved being near the twins, they always made her smile and forget her troubles.

"I rescued it." Fred said

"By 'rescued', do you mean stole it?" Ginny grinned.

Fred and George ignored her. The spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions

Bloom finally laughed.

* * *

When Halloween arrived, Bloom promised to go to meet Harry in the common room.

So at seven o'clock, Harry, Ron, Bloom and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.

The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces.

The temperature dropped with every step they took.

As Bloom shivered and drew her robes tightly around her, she heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.

"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered. They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.

"My dear friends," he said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome… so pleased you could come…"

He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.

It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.

"Shall we have a look around?" Harry suggested, he held onto Bloom's hand.

"Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Bloom wasn't surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts.

"Oh, no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —"

"Ah, hurry! Run!" Bloom shouted a whisper.

"Who?" said Harry as they backtracked quickly.

"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," said Hermione.

"She haunts a toilet?"

"Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —"

"That's why I never go there." Bloom said

"Look, food!" said Ron.

On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mold and, in pride of place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words,

SIR NICHOLAS DE MIMSY-PORPINGTON

DIED 31ST OCTOBER, 1492

Bloom watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.

"Can you taste it if you walk though it?" Harry asked him.

"Almost," said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.

"I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor," said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.

"Can we move? I feel sick," said Ron.

They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in midair before them.

"Hello, Peeves," said Harry cautiously.

Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face.

"Nibbles?" he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.

"No thanks," said Hermione.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves, his eyes dancing.

"Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OY! MYRTLE!"

"Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Hermione whispered frantically. "I didn't mean it, I don't mind her — er, hello, Myrtle."

The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.

"What?" she said sulkily.

"How are you, Myrtle?" said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

Myrtle sniffed.

"Miss Granger was just talking about you —" said Peeves slyly in Myrtle's ear. "Just saying —"

"Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight," said Hermione, glaring at Peeves.

Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously.

"You're making fun of me," she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.

"No — honestly — didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" said Hermione, nudging Harry and Ron painfully in the ribs.

"Oh, yeah —"

"She did —"

"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. "Did you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

"You've forgotten pimply," Peeves hissed in her ear.

Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling, "Pimply! Pimply!"

"Oh, dear," said Hermione sadly.

"Oh, no," Bloom said in the same tone Hermione did.

Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them through the crowd.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, yes," they lied.

"Not a bad turnout," said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent… It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…"

The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.

"Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.

Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly;

Harry started to clap, too, but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick's face.

The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.

"Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"

He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.

"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.

"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron, Bloom and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).

"Very amusing," said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.

"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say — look at the fellow —"

"I think," said Harry hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, "Nick's very — frightening and — er —"

"He's truly frightening!" Bloom said, trying to cover Harry.

"Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"

"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue spotlight.

"My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow…"

But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch. Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers.

"Prat," Bloom said, "This is Nick's party not his!"

"I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.

"Let's go," Harry agreed.

They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.

And then Harry moved-

"Harry, what're you —?"

"It's that voice again — shut up a minute —"

"… soo hungry… for so long…"

"Listen!" said Harry urgently, and Ron and Hermione froze, watching him. Bloom held onto Harry and then she heard it.

"… kill… time to kill…"

"Harry, I heard it…" Bloom said in a frighten voice, the chilly voice sent chills down her spine.

"This way," Harry shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall.

"Harry, what're we —"

"SHH!"

Bloom strained her ears, she kept a firm hold on Harry's hand. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, she heard the voice: "… I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!"

Her stomach lurched —

"It's going to kill someone!" Harry shouted, and ignoring Ron's and Hermione's bewildered faces, Harry ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, Bloom was trying to listen over his own pounding footsteps — Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron and Hermione panting behind them, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.

"Guys, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything…"

But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

"Look!"

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE

"What's that thing — hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.

As they edged nearer, Harry almost pulling Bloom with him — there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed them, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.

Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

Hermione and Bloom were trying to get their breathing back to normal.

For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we try and help —" Harry began awkwardly.

"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood, came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry, Ron, Bloom and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

Then someone shouted through the quiet.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

* * *

**There we go! Please review people! I'm feeling unloved here. And please thank my beta ****Mira Severus Sirius Snape Black ****too**

**Thank You 3**


	22. A New Mystery Begins

**Hello everyone, sorry I have not updated. I have been quite busy this week. Oh I went to see Breaking Dawn; it was good, but not as great as Harry Potter of course! Though I cannot wait for part two of Breaking Dawn, I want to see the little girl grow up. It's weird though, the girl that is going to play Reneseme (is that how you spell it?) looks how I pictured Bloom Potters. They copied me! JK!**

**Okay, let's get this started!**

* * *

**A New Mystery Begins**

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.

And his popping eyes fell on Harry.

"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"

"No," Bloom shouted pulling Harry back.

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. and Miss Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

"My office is the nearest, Headmaster-just upstairs-please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.

As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Bloom saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. Bloom would have giggled if the situation hasn't so serious, but having Professor Snape there help her calm down.

The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile, for some reason.

And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her…."

Bloom rolled her eyes

Lockhart's comments were punctured by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as he detested Filch, Bloom couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

"…I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to probide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…."

The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.

At last Dumbledore straightened up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

Bloom saw Professor McGonagall and Snape smile at Lockhart.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say…."

"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-"

"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found-in my office - he knows I'm a – I'm a -" Filch's face worked horribly. "He knows I'm a Squib!" he finished.

"Harry never touched Mrs. Norris!" Bloom said loudly, uncomfortable aware of everyone looking at her, including all the Lockharts on the walls

"And I don't even know what a Squib is." Harry added, making the eyes turn to him.

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "He saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Bloom's sense of forboding increased; she was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do Harry any good. He would always hate Harry, even though he won't tell her why. "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"

Bloom launched into an explanation about the death day party. "…there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there-"

"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"

Ron and Hermione looked at Harry and Bloom.

"Because-because-" Harry said, Bloom heart was thumping very fast; something told her it would sound very far-fetched if they told them, that Harry had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but he could hear and her sometimes, "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.

Snape's smile widened.

"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."

"What?" Bloom asked. This was going too far.

"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."

Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.

Snape looked furious. So did Filch.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professer Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me, I thought Professor Snape was the Potions Master." Bloom said at the same time as Professor Snape said icily, "Excuse me," said Snape. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

Bloom blushed, she could feel her brothers and Professor Snape's eyes on her, but he pointy ignored them

There was a very awkward pause.

"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione.

Harry pulled Bloom along

They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Harry squinted at his friends' darkened faces.

"Do you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"

"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

Something in Ron's voice made Bloom ask, "You do believe him, don't you?"

"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But-you must admit it's weird…."

"I know it's weird," said Harry. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened….What's that supposed to mean? And what on earth's a Squib?" said Harry.

Ron stifled a snigger.

"Well-it's not funny really-but as it's Filch," he said. "A squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't for any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic form a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter."

"Why could I hear it sometimes though?" Bloom asked.

"Are you sure you heard it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it was really scary. Like a hungry voice out for… you know." Bloom whispered, chills ran up her spine as she remembered that voice.

A clock chimed somewhere.

"Midnight," said Harry. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."

"He won't do that."

* * *

For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Bloom had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess remover, but to not effect; the words still gleamed the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly" and "looking happy."

Ginny seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris' fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.

"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in not time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking-" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Bloom asked her.

"It's nothing Bloom, I'm just tired and that's all."

Bloom didn't buy it; Ginny had been acting weird for a while now. She would write into her diary to no end but now she barely did that, at least in front of her. Bloom tried to find a reason, but she couldn't find one. Even when they were with Luna, Ginny was still acting so strange. Abe tried to talk to her, to find out but even he couldn't. Abe had made new friends, Micky Xiah, a Korean boy that had just moved to England not long ago, he was a second year. Abe hanged out with him a bit more than them lately. But Bloom understood, Abe needed a guy to talk too. Abe also befriend a boy called Alex Lopez, a first year like them. He's from Mexico. The first Mexican transfer student in Hogwarts.

Colin Creevey came up to Bloom and the girls.

"Bloom did you hear what people are saying?" he asked

"No, what is it?" something in Colin made her feel uneasy.

"They're saying that Harry is Slytherin's heir."

"What? That's completely stupid! Why would they think that?" Bloom asked. It was the dumbest thing she had ever heard. _Harry _the heir of Slytherin? "That's doesn't make any sense, if he was what would that mean about me?"

"Of course I don't believe it, that's just stupid. Oh Ginny, I want to show you something." He pulled out a small piece of parchment, Ginny took it. blinked a few times before laughing a bit. It was Ron throwing up slugs.

* * *

Bloom was heading towards Professor Snape's office when she ran into Harry.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked her.

"I was going to…um… I was looking for you." She answered, "Colin just told me what was going around so I decided to find you." It wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't like she could go and tell him she was going to talk to Professor Snape, like she always did. Harry would not like that at all.

As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attck had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been Opened."

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.

They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Harry, dropping his bag and getting to his hands and knees so that he could crawl along, searching for clues, Bloom copied his actions.

"Scorch marks!" Harry said. "Here-and here-"

"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny…."

They got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.

"No," said Harry, "have you, Ron? Ron?"

They looked over. Ron was standing well back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run.

"What's up?" said Harry.

"I-don't-like-spiders," said Ron tensely.

"I never knew that," said Hermione looking at Ron in surprise.

"You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…." Bloom stated

"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move…."

Hermione and Bloom giggled.

"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my-my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick….You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and…"

He broke off, shuddering. Hermione and Bloom were obviously still trying not to laugh. Harry said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."

Ron reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."

"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

"Do we have to go in there?" Bloom asked

And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, she opened the door.

It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom Bloom had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked, spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges.

Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end stall, Bloom following her. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"

Harry and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin.

"This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron and Harry suspiciously. "They're not girls."

"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how-er-nice it is in here."

She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor.

"Ask her if she saw anything," Harry mouthed at Hermione.

"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at him.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly. "We wanted to ask-"

"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead-"

"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Harry only-"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"

"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside you front door on Halloween."

"Did you see anyone near here that night?" said Bloom.

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm-that I'm-"

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Bloom and Hermione whined

Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.

Harry and Ron stood with their mouths open, but Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle….Come on, let's go."

"There's something called Tact guys," Bloom said, "You should look it up."

Harry had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all four of them jump.

"RON!"

Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face.

"That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped.

"What were you-"

"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know-"

Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Harry forcefully of Mrs. Weasley.

"Get-away-from-there-" Percy said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner-"

"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never a finger on that cat!"

"That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business-"

"You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy-"

"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to Mum!"

And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears.

Harry, Ron, Bloom and Hermione chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ginny wasn't feeling good and went to bed, Bloom was going with her, but Ginny told her she wanted to sleep. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut. To Bloom's surprise, Hermione followed suit.

"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in a mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"

He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy-"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You've heard him- _'You'll be next, Mudbloods!_'- come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him-"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Bloom skeptically, "If he was, he would have announced it to everyone."

"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son…."

"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible…."

"But how do we prove it?" said Harry darkly.

"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect-"

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions with him realizing it's us."

"But that's impossible," Harry said as Ron laughed.

"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"Clever" Bloom said with a gleam in her eyes

"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together.

"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago-"

"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.

"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?"

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library."

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…."

"There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permissions for a teacher." Bloom said

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…."

"Oh, come one, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick…."

"Lockhart." Bloom and Harry said.

"Wait, Bloom." Harry said, "How do you know about it?"

"I heard it from a friend; he was writing an essay on it." She said; which was true. He did have an essay to do, but it wasn't the first it me she heard about it.

"Who?"

Bloom jumped up, "Would you look at the time? It's nearly eight. I have to get to bed. Good night!" she hurried off to the stairs that led to her room.

"Wait! Bloom, get back here!" Harry shouted after her.

* * *

**Here you go people. I was going to add more but I'm tired. And hungry. Please review!**

**Thank You for waiting for this chapter 3**

**Please thank my Beta Mira Severus Sirius Snape Black, man that's a mouth full. Try saying that five times.**


	23. I Hate Lockhart

**Hello everyone! Sorry I have not updated, my doctor assigned me new medication and it's not going well with my systems. I can't tell you how many times I have lost my lunch. It might take me longer to update then planned. Sorry. If you want to blame someone, blame my systems and the way too strong meds. But I do have to explain something, I'm getting a bit weaker nowadays, it's nothing big. I just get tired easier than normal now. I promise to do my best though.**

* * *

**I Hate Lockhart**

Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, that Harry had told Bloom about, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class.

Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits.

He usually picked Bloom to help him with these reconstructions; so far, Harry – when he was in Lockhart's class- and Bloom had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.

Bloom would not open her mouth when Lockhart had c_asted _the Babbling Curse on her. He kept poking her side, trying to make her open her mouth.

Bloom smiled when he gave up.

Bloom was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf.

"Nice loud howl, Bloom-exactly-and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this-" At the last second Bloom moved the slightest to the right, causing Lockhart to fall to the floor. Bloom bite down a smile, while the boys and Ginny snickered. The dumb girls all jumped up and checked if he was okay. Bloom knew she promised Harry that she'll bear with whatever Lockhart wanted, but she was not going to let him pounce her into the ground!

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

"Homework-compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"

Bloom, Ginny and Abe quickly got their things and ran out.

"I can't stand that idiot!"

"Bloom, he didn't hurt you did he?" asked Ginny.

"No, but I swear if he poked me one more time I was going to snap his wand… Ginny are you okay? You look sort of pale." Bloom asked

Abe turned to look Ginny, like he had just noticed that, Boys.

"I'm fine… I just haven't been sleeping that well… I'm sure I'll get better soon." Ginny began to walk faster, "Oh come, we promised to meet Luna."

Abe and Bloom shared a look; they had to watch Ginny move carefully. There's something just not right about her these days. Many times Bloom had tried to convince her of going to the hospital wing to get checked out, but each time Ginny would decline. Bloom was getting worried about her friend. Ginny mostly spent hours writing into her diary, Bloom would be lying if she said it didn't bother her. It did. A lot. Ginny used to tell Bloom everything but lately Ginny kept everything in.

"Go ahead, I'm going to wait for Alex." Abe said

Bloom nodded and head to Herbology this was one of the few classes Bloom, Ginny and Luna had together. Maybe talking to Luna would help Ginny. In class everyone seemed to want to know what happened to Mrs. Norris. Bloom told them to back off so she could get to her sit. Class went slow for Bloom, she talked and answered the questions, but her mind was on Harry. By now he would be in that idiot's class. Hopefully they got the paper signed to get whatever book they needed for the potion.

Luna was telling Ginny all about her creatures, Ginny laughed but it sounded tired. This was their last class of the day, Ginny said she wanted to rest and hurried to the tower.

"There is something wrong with Ginny, isn't there?" Luna asked

"Yeah. I don't know what. She won't tell me. I thought she was sick but… I just don't know. She wouldn't talk about it. Has she told you anything at all?" Bloom asked.

"No, nothing at all…" Luna stayed quiet for a bit, "I have to owl my dad, want to come?"

"Sorry Luna, I have to talk to Harry. But I'll see you at dinner."

Luna nodded and skipped away.

* * *

Five minutes later, Bloom was in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom, just like Harry had told her.

Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.

Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the four of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.

"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Harry sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces. "This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe.

"Well, it is a six year potion." Bloom answered accidently

"How do you know that?" Harry asked, "Did your _friend _tell you?"

"No Harry," Bloom snapped, "I read. Just because you don't read doesn't mean I don't."

"I read! Just not potions."

"Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves...Oooh, look, powered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a boomslang - that'll be tricky, too - and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What do you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it-"

Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him.

"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last..."

Ron turned, speechless, to Harry, who had another worry.

"Do you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snapes private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea..."

Hermione shut the book with a snap.

"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in -"

_Never thought the day would come that Hermione Granger would convince the boys to break the rules,_ Bloom thought.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"

"Don't be silly Ron," Bloom said, "Hair would do."

Again they stared at her, before Harry could ask Bloom answered, "Think about it! Hair would be the easiest thing to get. All you do is pull."

They nodded in realization. Bloom mentally exhaled, that was a close one.

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Harry as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.

"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days... I'd say it'll be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"

But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

However, while Hermione was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to Harry as Bloom listened, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."

As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish Harry good luck as he entered the locker rooms

Bloom took Harry aside for a moment, "Don't let this be like your first game please. I nearly had a heart failure thanks to you."

Harry laughed, "I'll try not to get killed this time. Go with the others, I don't want you walking alone-"

"Bloom!" Both Harry and Bloom jumped, behind them were Ron and Hermione but behind those two was Terry.

Harry was not going to like this.

Bloom saw Harry's jaw tighten. Why couldn't he understand the She and Terry were just friends. She liked Terry, but not like _like_.

Bloom waved hello as Terry passed by. As soon as he was gone, Harry opened his mouth, "He called you out to say hi?"

"Um… yes."

"Wh- "

"Oh look the game is about to start, go Harry you'll be late… We'll go now…" Bloom hurried to the stadium sits, Ginny had promised to save her a sit.

* * *

Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather

harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Harry flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.

"Come Harry, you can do it." Bloom whispered as she watched he fly around.

At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward Harry; he avoided it so narrowly that Bloom knew it had ruffled his hair as it passed.

"It's just a game. It's just a game. It's just a game."

George streaked past Harry with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. Bloom saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrien Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again.

"What's going on?" Bloom asked a paled Ginny, "Is that supposed to happen?"

"No, it's going back towards Harry."

Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head.

Both Ginny and Bloom screamed, Hermione and Ron made their way towards them. "What's going on with that Bludger? This isn't normal!" Ron shouted.

Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch.

Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off

course.

"Remind me to kiss your brother." Bloom said weakly

The others gave a weak chuckle

Fred seemed to have yelled happily, "Gotcha!" But he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to Harry, the Bludger pelted after him once more and Harry was forced to fly off at full speed.

It had started to rain; Bloom felt heavy drops fall onto her face. She didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game. She kept Harry in her sight- until she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero-"

The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Harry out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to him on either side, just in case.

"I really should kiss your brothers. Why don't they ask for a time out?"

"Don't know." Hermione whispered

Fred swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Harry.

George and Fred were signaling for a time out. Bloom watched as they all landed, hopefully they would have a plan.

The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Harry kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind him. Higher and higher Harry climbed; he looped and swooped, spiraled, zigzagged, and rolled. He hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger.

"What is he doing?" Bloom asked

"I think he's lost it…" Ron said, "That git, I bet he told Fred and George to layoff him."

"Noble prat." the girls hissed.

Harry hung in mid air- "Look-" Bloom was shouting but it was too late to warn her brother-

WHAM

"-out…" Bloom bite down on her lip, "do you think he's okay?"

"I think he broke it." Hermione answered.

Bloom whined.

But Harry was still playing, he seemed to have found what he was looking for. Harry hit the mud and rolled off his broom. His arm was hanging at a very strange angle. With that, Bloom ran down the stadium to get to her fallen brother.

When Bloom got to the field, she saw Lockhart running towards Harry, "Oh no" she ran faster, she was one of the first to get there, after Lockhart.

She knee beside Harry, "Harry are you okay?"

"I broke my elbow, what do you think?"

"You know what I mean you prat!"

"Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"No" Bloom hissed

"I'll keep it like this, thanks..." Harry said

She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.

"I don't want a photo of this, Colin," Harry said loudly.

"Lie back, Harry," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times -"

"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.

"He should, really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say -"

"Yes, Wood could carry him." Bloom said

Through the thicket of legs around them, Bloom spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.

"Fred! George! Help!" Bloom shouted; they looked up as they wrestle the Bludger. Their eyes widen when they saw Lockharts wand aiming at Harry.

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

Bloom looked back, "No-"

"No - don't -" said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand.

Harry's arm went limp, "What did you do?" Bloom asked in a dead whisper, keeping her eyes on Harry's limb arm.

"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Potter, would you escort him? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."

Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. He had removed them.

Bloom was planning revenge and she was going to do to it.

Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.

"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back -"

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night..."

Hermione and Bloom waited outside the curtain drawn around Harry's bed while Ron helped him into his pajamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.

"How can you stick up for Lockhart, now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain as he pulled Harry's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Harry had wanted deboning he would have asked."

"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Harry?"

"No," said Harry, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either." As he swung himself onto the bed, his arm flapped pointlessly.

"Hermione, do not defend him. That – that- idiot just disfigured my brother's arm. And I'll say this. He's going to regret ever applying for this job." Bloom said.

She already had a plan. All she need was to ask a few people for help. And she knew they would help her, no matter what.

Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.

"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

Still tut-tutting about the dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Bloom to help Harry gulp down some water.

"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face... he looked ready to kill...""

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff..."

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.

The door to the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.

"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."

They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This boy needs rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"

Walking to the tower, Bloom stopped them before entering, "I need you help guys."

They all blinked at her, surprised by her.

"What is it?" Angelina asked

"Let's just say it involves Lockhart's hair, teeth and clothes getting in a little trouble." Bloom answered, she knew her eyes were gleaming.

The team and Ron smiled evilly expect Hermione, "Honestly Bloom, he just made a mistake. It could have happened to anyone." But they all ignored her.

"What's your plan?" the twins asked eagerly.

Making sure no one heard she answered, "First, boys, I want his teeth to get black… pour ink in his drink if you have too. I don't care, add whatever you'll like. The point is to make him stop smiling at us. Next, I think the girls should have a little fun too. You're together will be his clothes, I'll get a potion that would- improve- his style… on the back of his clothes, words would appear. It'll be insulting him; the best part is that no one can tell him, no matter what. It's the effect when someone reads it or even sees it. You could try all you want but he'll never know. I'll get his hair."

"What are you going to do to it?" they asked

"You'll see. I'll get you the potions that you'll need. We'll do it tomorrow, during dinner."

* * *

**Okay, I can't write more… Please review and thank my beta Mira. S.S.S.B**


	24. Dueling Club

Sorry I have not updated in a while, my Professors seemed to think it would be fun to give us last minute projects and essays on top of having our Finals. I nearly shot myself with all the work I was given. I promise I will try to make this chapter long, really long. So it might take a few days. One more week of school and then I have vacations for a month! There is a God! Please listen to JYJ and Tvxq. Hear their story, please.

* * *

**Dueling Club **

It was almost breakfast on a Sunday, when Bloom and Ginny entered the main hall. Bloom couldn't stop the smile in her face, she knew this was wrong but the git deserved it. No one messed her brother and got away with it. It had always been her and Harry. Looking after each other no matter what happened; Bloom knew Harry would always be there for her and her for him. Nothing was going to stop that.

She thought back to yesterday.

"_I don't know, Bloom." Wood said, "What if we get caught… No we can't risk it."_

"_Wood, Madam Poppy –" _

"_Poppy?"_

"_Yeah, it's easier to say than her name… and it's cute… now like I was saying, Poppy said that Harry will get better, but he might not have full ability to his arm for a long time. In the next game, he might lose…" Bloom let those words sink in. She could see Wood thinking_

"_LET'S DO IT! THAT IDIOT IS GOING DOWN! IF WE LOSE I'LL KILL HIM!"_

Bloom looked back at Ginny; she was becoming paler and quieter. No matter what Bloom tried, Ginny would not talk it was like she was too scared. Not even Luna could make her talk about what was wrong.

If this did not stop soon, Bloom was going to write to Mrs. Weasley, she would know what to do and possibly what was wrong with Ginny. At least, that's what Bloom hoped.

Everyone sat in their regular spots; Bloom saw the team walk in, gave her a wink and sat down. And then, they waited. Lockhart was always the last one to arrive to breakfast, always trying to make a grand entrance.

Almost everyone was there by now; expect Harry, Ron and Hermione. But Bloom knew what they were doing at the moment so it didn't worry her too much.

Finally, Lockhart walked in, wearing baby blue outfit. It would have looked cute on a child but not on an adult. Bloom's eyes looked up to the Head Table. She made eye contact with Professor Snape; she smiled at him and turned back to her food.

She took a few bites from her waffle when a high pitch scream was heard causing many students to jump and look around for the source. Many thought it was a first year that screamed, until they saw Lockhart standing up, shaking with horror. All of his hair was gone, even his eyebrows. The sunrays literally bounced off his newly bald head. His hair was on the floor, on the table and some on his hands.

He stared at it like he could not believe what was happening. He started to gape like a fish; his once shiny teeth were now pitch black, even his tongue was black. Not that he could see that of course. His skin began to flash neon colors.

No one moved for a solid minute and then laughter exploded out of the dining hall. All the boys were in tears from laughing and even some girls were laughing, Lockhart's fans were stunned they didn't seem to be breathing.

Bloom looked up at the professors, Professor McGonagall looked like she was trying her very best not to laugh but not quite managing it. Professor Snape was grinning, really grinning. If people would have paid attention to him, they would have never believed it. The other professors were looking down, shaking with laughter. Lockhart began to cry; tears flowed down as he turned to the Headmaster, whose eyes seemed to twinkling more than ever.

"Headmaster," Lockhart cried, "Please fix this!"

"Not to worry Professor," The Headmaster smiled, "I am sure if you go to the hospital wing, you will be cured quickly." With those words said, Lockhart was running down the hall. The students were still laughing then they saw the back of his clothes they stopped for a moment. On the back, there were words that said: "_I am an imbecile!" _and then switching to _"I am not a real man!" _Causing the students to double over with laughter.

Bloom smiled at she took in the scene, maybe with this Lockhart would leave her brother alone.

* * *

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

"Don't be silly, Neville." Bloom started, "You're just a slow bloomer. You'll be fine."

Neville smiled at her in return. "Thanks Bloom."

"I know what would make you feel better. I heard that they're making a Dueling Club, let's go!" Bloom cheered

"I don't know…" Neville bite his lip.

"Please" she gave him her best puppy eyes.

"Fine."

"That's great! Abe and I are going… Luna and Ginny won't go; they have to do an essay for class."

* * *

Bloom, Abe and Neville were on their way to the Great Hall, taking their time. They had plenty of time to make it there. As they walked they talked about their classes and what was going on. Abe was saying that Alex was going to save them a spot in case they didn't make it on time.

"I wish I could give up on potions." Neville said.

"But Potions is really important! You can't give it up." Bloom said.

"Not everyone is good at potions, Bloom." Abe said rolling his eyes. "Besides, you're the only one Snape doesn't yell at."

"Really?" Neville asked.

"No… well… a little… I just do my work."

"He has never ever yelled at her Neville. Not even once, I swear she can be an hour late and he'll let it go!"

Bloom blushed; okay maybe Snape didn't yell at her so what? It was no big deal. "If you want Neville, I can help you with potions if you help me with Herbology. I'm not that good at it."

Neville smiled, "Its' a deal!"

"Who do you think is going to be teaching us?" Abe asked.

"Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young-maybe it'll be him." Neville said.

"As long as it's not-" Bloom began, but she ended on a groan; Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Professor Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permissions to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Bloom caught Professor Snape's eye; she mouthed to him '_Please take him out!' _She pleaded with her eyes, he just smiled at her for the tiniest of second.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the cound of three, will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Bloom smiled, watching Snape baring his teeth.

"One-two-three-"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "_Expelliarmus_!" There was dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

"YES! Go Professor Snape!" Bloom cheered, she smiled at him when he saw her cheering and then she shouted, "Do it again!"

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy-however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..." Bloom glared at him

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed - causing Bloom to smile - because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first. Bloom bite her lip, this was not going to end good.

Then Lockhart came towards Bloom. "Now Miss Potter, yes pretty little Potter, let's see who you would be paired up with." He placed his hand on her shoulder; it took all her willpower not to knock it off. She was silently pleading for Professor Snape to save her, anyone in fact. "Oh yes, Mr. Andrews. You will be with Miss Potter."

Andrews was a tall second year who could pass for a third year. He was twice Bloom's height alone. He also had a mean look to him.

'_Oh well, the bigger they are the harder they fall_.'

Abe was paired with Alex, the lucky git.

"Face you partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Bloom and Andrews barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents-only to disarm them-we don't want any accidents-one...two...three-"

Andrews threw blue and red jinx at Bloom, somehow Bloom managed to dodge them with ease. But she could not let her guard now.

Bloom pointed her wand straight at Andrews and shouted, "_Rictusempra_!" a spell Harry had taught her not long along.

A jet of silver light hit Andrews in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, across the room, but Snape took charge.

"_Finite Incantatem!"_ he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.

"Hermione! Harry!" Bloom shouted and ran towards them, helping them up.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan... Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot- "

Bloom turned to see Terry holding his head; he had a cut above his left eyebrow. She walked to him, "Are you alright?" she ignored whatever people were talking about.

"Yeah, a bit dizzy though. The spell hit my head pretty hard." He blinked several times through the pain.

"You should go to see Poppy. Just in case."

"Yeah I will. But I want to see this…"

"See what?"

Terry pointed at the stage; Bloom turned and saw her brother and Malfoy on stage, getting ready to duel.

"Oh this is just great." She ran to the front, Terry right behind her. She stood next to Neville and Justin as Terry stood behind her.

"Three-two-one-go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "_Serpensortia_!"

The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long, black snake shot out of it, fell heabily onto the floor between them, and rasied itself, read to strike.

"Harry!" Bloom screamed

There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it..."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart.

"No!" Bloom shouted but it was too late.

He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud band; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchly and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

"No!" Bloom pushed Justin out of the way. Justin fell to the ground as the snake began to strike. Not a moment too soon Bloom placed her hands in front of her face; she felt heat in her hands and closed her eyes. Then she heard a loud Hiss sound. She was waiting for the pain but it never came. She opened her eyes to see a fierily shield in front of her and the snake looking at Harry; who was looking beyond angry. Harry shouted a hiss.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in and unexpected way. It was shrewd and calculating look. Harry jumped down just as Bloom's shield went down.

"Bloom, are you okay?"

Bloom could only nod as she stared at her brother.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Come on," said Ron's voice in Harry ear. "Move-come on-"

Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione pulled Bloom alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Bloom didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged them all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" said Harry as Bloom said, "He's a what?"

"A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story-but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set if free without meaning to-that was before I knew I was a wizard-"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack-"

"Oh, that what you said to it?"

"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard me -"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -"

Harry and Bloom gaped at him.

"I spoke a different language? But-I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?" Harry said

"But…. I could understand the snake at the zoo, why not this one?" Bloom asked.

Hermione looked at her, "I don't know. If you were able to understand _that _I don't understand why you couldn't this one. It doesn't make sense. Are you sure were able to understand it last time?"

"Yes, it said it was lonely and wanted to go to Brazil."

"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."

Harry's mouth fell open.

"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something-"

"But we're not," said Harry and Bloom.

"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."

* * *

Bloom was running towards professor Snape's room. He would help, she knew he would. Making sure no one was around she quickly knocked and waited.

"Bloom?"

"Professor, can we talk?" She felt that she was at the point of tears. He nodded and let her in.

"This is about what happened today, isn't it?"

"Yes… I don't understand… you see…" she went on to explain what happened at the zoo, how she could understand it back then but for some reason not today. She told him what she had felt and exactly what the snake had said.

"I do not know how it is possible… but I will try to find out Bloom do not worry too much on It." he passed her a mug full of hot chocolate, "but now we have to talk about something different."

"Oh, what is it?"

"The whole school now knows that you have element powers. Some I believe will be scared of you. Others will try to use your power against people. I think you should be careful and start learning how to control your powers." He explained.

Bloom looked up to him, "I know that, it's just… I don't know how to, I have searched in the library but there's not any information on how to control it. Just know about what it is."

After a small pause she began again, "I found out I have some type of animal spirit, you can call it. Like a guardian. It's different with all the elements. A person only gets one. I know Merlin had all four and what able to combine them to make lighting. I wish I had a teacher for this." Bloom pushed her hair back from her face.

"I guess you can try to learn how to control you emotions first, your emotions are tied with your powers. You have to keep them in check."

Bloom snorted, "Professor, you're asking a girl to keep her emotions in check. A girl who has a brother that is in danger every other day. Yeah I will be able to keep my emotions in check, no problem." She rolled her eyes.

Snape smiled

* * *

Bloom left professor Snape's room after a while and headed to the library. Maybe she could find something else, something that could help her and Harry. But on her way she bumped into Harry.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Ernie… he's such a prat…" Harry went on to explain what happened at the library and how everyone thinks he's a dark wizard.

"Whose Ernie? I'll make sure he regrets ever being born!" Bloom shouted and began to march towards the library to give Ernie a piece of her mind. The result was that she walked into something very large and solid, which knocked her backward onto the floor.

"Oh, hello, Hagrid." Bloom said, looking up.

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.

"All righ', Bloom?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"

"Canceled," said Harry, "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster.

"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."

He peered more closely at Harry from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows.

"Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered-"

"It's nothing," Harry said. "I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."

"We'll see you later Hagrid." Bloom said as she and Harry walked off.

Harry stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor- Bloom followed him silently- which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft that was blowing through a loose windowpane. They were halfway down the passage when Harry tripped headlong over something lying on the floor.

"Harry, are you – "

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Bloom had ever seen.

It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

As they stood there, panicking, a door right next to them opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out.

"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves, knocking Harry's glasses askew as he bounced past him. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking-"

Peeves stopped, halfway through a midair somersault. Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Harry or Bloom could stop him, screamed, "Attack! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTACK!"

Crash-crash-crash- door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Harry found himself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black-and-white striped-hair.

She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.

"Either you shut up or I'll fry your hair!" Bloom shouted as she pulled Harry behind her, she had to protect him. She would not let him get blame for this!

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:

_"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done,_

_You're killing off students, you think it's good fun-"_

"That's enough, Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with his tongue out at Harry.

Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronmy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft. This left Harry and Bloomand Professor McGonagall alone together.

"This way, Potters," she said.

"Professor," said Harry at once, "I swear I didn't -"

"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.

They marched in silence around a corner and she stepped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.

"Lemon drop!" she said.

This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Bloom couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As they stepped onto it, Bloom heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Bloom saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

This must be where Dumbledore lived.

* * *

**There you go. I made it as long as possible. Please review! Please! And thank my Beta Mira S.S.S.B**

_**This is Mira here! I decided to give a little note. This chp where Sev goes a little **__Charmed__**. 'Your powers are tied to our emotions.' Thing is going on. **_

_**Sorry but I have to add this. Review or I'll Crucio you!**_


	25. Phoniex Flame

***My beta edited a bit* **

**Hello everyone,**

**Sorry have I not updated. My term just ended and I'm trying to recover from some things that I had to deal with. I'm slowly getting better, my health that is. I just can't sleep right or eat much. So please give me some time to write this story, I do have some idea where it will be heading. I hope you will continue to read and review. Please review. Let people know about my story please. Just one review a chapter will do.**

* * *

**Phoenix Flame **

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.

Harry moved, "What are you doing Harry?" Bloom asked.

"I need to know something… and the Hat might be the only one able to tell me. Look out for me." Harry said.

"Okay… just hurry up." Bloom looked around as Harry put on the Hat. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Bloom stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Bloom thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Bloom watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.

Then she made eye contact with it and she dazed out.

_It was like she was in another place. Another world. _

_Everything was dark, looking around she saw a small flame. Bloom wasn't scared, even though she was in a place she didn't know of, she couldn't help and not be scared… she felt safe and warm for some reason._

_And then-_

"_Child…" said a lowly, weak but gentle voice, "Come to me."_

"_I don't know where you are. Who are you?" Bloom talked to the voice, the voice sounded like soft music being place. 'Maybe it's his soundtrack,' Bloom thought._

"_Come to me child, follow me… find me… I am here… search for me child… find me, child." The voice answered._

"_I don't know you, why should I find you?" Bloom asked._

"_You know who I am… you must find me. Or do you not wish to help your brother?"_

"_What do you know about Harry?" Bloom asked loudly, "who are you?"_

"_Find me… you know who I am… Call me… Find me…. 'He' shall help you find me. You must hurry child… before it's too late. Look inside… look inside… Find me Bloom."_

Bloom blinked and she was back inside herself. It was like she had never left, she was still staring at the poor bird and it at her. Maybe it's sick, Bloom thought, when the bird burst into flames.

Harry- who was standing next to her- yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. He looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere but couldn't see one; the bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.

"Harry! What do we do?" Bloom panicked, "It- it- what just happened?"

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Harry gasped. "Your bird — I couldn't do anything — he just caught fire —"

To Bloom's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.

"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

He chuckled at the stunned look on Bloom and Harry's face.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry, Bloom. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"Harry and Bloom looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures; phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter him seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir —"

Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere. "It can't've bin him nor Bloom, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to."

Bloom had to smile at Hagrid's loyalty to them, she would hug him if she wasn't scared of what could happen to her and Harry.

"Hagrid, I —"

"— yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, I know Harry never —"

"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Harry attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."

Bloom couldn't take it, she ran to him and hugged him, "Thanks for coming to the rescue, Hagrid. You're a true friend."

And Hagrid blushed before he stomped out looking embarrassed.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Harry repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Harry, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you."

Harry waited nervously while Dumbledore considered him, the tips of his long fingers together.

"I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."

"No," said Harry. "There isn't anything, Professor…"

"And you, Bloom?" Dumbledore turned to her, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"I-um- you see… before Fawkes was um… reborn. Something happened, I just don't understand what or how… does that make sense?"

"What happened dear?"

"When I made eye contact with him and then… I wasn't here… but I was at the same time. I don't know. But I kept hearing some voice tell me to find it. that 'He' will help me. What happened to me Professor?"

Dumbledore looked like he was thinking. "I don't know, but… I will look into it. Once I find something I shall call for you. Is that alright Bloom?"

"Oh yes, please take your time… and … thank you Professor!"

* * *

When Bloom got to her room, she got the surprise of her life. Ginny was crying, covered with something red and feathers all over her.

"Ginny! What's wrong are you hurt? What happened?"

Ginny looked up to her, "I don't know Bloom. I can't remember anything of how I got like this… Bloom I'm scared. What's happening to me!" she sobbed. Bloom did the only thing she could think of, she hugged her and cried with her. Bloom knew she should find a Professor, but Ginny was too fragile at the moment. Ginny needed her now and she was going to be there for her, no matter what.

"Please don't tell anyone, Bloom… please." Ginny pleaded.

"Don't worry Ginny. I won't" Bloom said, "I'm going to help you, I'll find out what's going on. I'll always be there for you. No matter what!"

"Thank you Bloom," Ginny sniffed, "thank you…" after a long pause she spoke again, "I'm so sleepy…"

"Go to sleep, I'll stay here with you. The others are out, you don't have to worry."

"Thank you, Bloom."

"No problem Ginny, no problem at all."

* * *

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? People asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

But Bloom was glad that most people were leaving. She was tired of people skirting around her in the corridors, as though she was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as she passed. She hasn't the one that spoke with the snake but she was Harry's sister, they feared her too. Not only that, many were scared that she would set them on fire. Word about her powers ran quick, everyone knew now.

Some students threw water at her when she was passing the potion's classroom. Professor Snape caught them and gave them detention for a month.

"Are you alright Bloom?" Professor Snape asked with a somewhat gentle voice, Bloom could tell he was still mad at the students attacked her.

"I'm fine Professor." She answered pushing her wet hair back from her face.

Professor Snape wasn't convinced, "Come inside. You need to dry up."

Bloom nodded and walked in the classroom. Professor Snape quickly casted a drying spell on her then gave her a pepper-up potion. Not once did she cry. If Harry could stand this, so could she.

* * *

Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry and Bloom down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through…".

Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.

"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."

"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either.

"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

"It's alright Ginny. They're making Harry feel better and – don't tell them this – they're making me feel better too. I just won't tell them because they already have big heads at it is."

Bloom didn't mind; it made her feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of Harry or her being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous.

Fred and George went to sit next to them when Harry went off with Ron and Hermione to the 'library'. "We need to talk Bloom."

Bloom looked up, Fred and George's faces were serious, there was no gleam of mischief in their eyes. More like anger. "What is it?" she asked a little nervous.

"We were walking by the potion classroom early today-" Fred started

"- When we saw something we did not like at all-"

"- A couple of students-"

Bloom gulped; please don't let it be what I think it is. She quickly looked down.

"- Slytherins I might add-"

"- throwing water spells at you."

Ginny gasped, "Bloom, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's- it's nothing really. If Harry can stand them so can I. it's no big deal." Bloom whispered, "Just don't tell Harry."

"Tell Harry what?"

They turned around to see Abe, Alex and Micky behind them. Bloom groaned, she hoped no one would find out about this. It looked like luck was not on her side at all this time. Or any other time.

"Slytherins attacked Bloom with water spells." George quickly said.

Bloom saw the guy's eyes widen. Abe went red with anger. "**What**!"

"It's nothing to worry about" Bloom tried to reason

"Nothing to worry about? Are you insane Bloom! One of those spell could be wrong! They could kill you!" Abe's voice got louder and louder.

"He's right Bloom." Micky said, "It's dangerous to do that kind of thing to a student." Alex nodded next to him.

"I can handle it!" Bloom said.

"We know you can Bloom." Ginny said "But-"

"- but we're still going to prank them!" Fred said.

"And prank them good!" George added.

"Count me in!" the guys said. Bloom didn't know why Micky and Alex would want to help her; she guessed it was because they were Abe's friends.

"Wait guys." Ginny said, looking at her brothers, "If you saw that, why didn't you help her?"

"Because someone else helped her…" Fred answered. Bloom felt her cheeks heat up.

"Who?"

"Snape."

"**WHAT**?"

* * *

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Bloom found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that she, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private. Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room.

He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Ginny was still asleep, Bloom had made her sleep in every day until the term would start again. While Ginny slept, Bloom looked through some books she got from the library. She was trying to find out what could be going on with Ginny and about the voice she heard. But so far she hadn't found anything.

Then she went through her pill of presents. The Dursleys had sent her a note asking if she and Harry could stay at school over summer vacations as well. Hagrid had sent her a large tin of treacle fudge. She wasn't sure if she should try it, she placed her hand on the first gift Hagrid ever gave her. A silver necklace with a silver lily as a charm, she couldn't help but smile as she played with it. Ron gave her a bag full of sweets. Hermione gave her a planner with several quills. Ginny got her a poster of a all-woman Quidditch team, the Holyheadharpies. The twins got her a book about pranks. She rolled her eyes but smile nonetheless. She remembered how they pranked the whole Slytherin house for her. They made all the Slytherin's clothes hot pink and more than half were suck on the roof. Abe sent her pictures of France, where he currently was. Every picture had him standing – or should she say running around a famous building.

She hoped they liked the gifts she got for them. She even got Professor Snape a gift.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling.

Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed.

Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at.

She was going to meet Harry in the girl's restroom; it wasn't something she ever thought she'll have to do.

When she got there, Harry was already gone. But Myrtle was smiling; she knew something was wrong then and there.

Then she heard a sniff.

"Hermione?" Bloom said, "are you there?"

"Bloom?"

"Ooooooh, wait till you see," Myrtle said. "It's awful —"

After some pleading, Hermione opened the door for her. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

Bloom couldn't help but gasp.

"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.

"Be quiet Myrtle! It's okay, Hermione," said Bloom quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…"

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"

* * *

**Okay, I made this as long as I could. Please review! Please! Give me ideas if you want!**

**And thank my Beta Mira S.S.S.B**


	26. Revealing the Monster

**Im glad to see more people adding this story to their favorites… it warms my heart. All I ask for is you guys to review my story. Please. I'll love you forever… I also want to thank ****angelvan105 ****for always reviewing my story, Thank you so much. I know I can always look forward to your reviews. Your reviews make me want to continue with this story. Thank You so much. This Chapter is for you.**

**Merry Christmas**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me… though I wish I did own **_**Sirius Black**_**, that would be great /**

**I am not British. I am Mexican American, so please don't kill me for writing the wrong word… I apologize.**

* * *

**Revealing the Monster**

Hermione was told to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks. People believed she was attacked. Bloom was often yelling out that she nor Harry did anything and to leave them alone. Bloom promised to visit Hermione but so far she couldn't. Ginny seemed to be getting worse. She shaken so much and looked like she hadn't slept in days. Bloom tried everything she could think of, no tea; spell or talk would help her. Bloom asked her many times if she wanted to let a teacher know but Ginny dismissed that idea. Bloom felt that someone was threatening Ginny and was too scared to talk. At night Bloom would lay down next to Ginny until she fell asleep.

Luna believed that it was a Woggle-Fuggy doing. Luna explained that a Woggle-Fuggy was a small glowing creature that liked to cause misery and pain. It would fly into your ear and nest there until the person they were in was so ill they had to leave because there was no magic left.

One night Bloom walked into her dorm room, every dorm mate was there expect Ginny. The three other girls were talking about something Lockhart. Joanna Ross was the tallest girl in the room. She had dark skin and hair and wore glasses. She liked to sing a lot and never stayed quiet for long, she was also a half-blood. The second girl was Ann Green a pure-blood girl. She had soft blonde hair and blue eyes. She's exactly shy and blushed really easily. The last dorm mate was Norma Turner; muggle born. She had curly black hair and light blue eyes. She loved to study but hatred homework.

Joanna loved pink and made her side of the room pink, it was too much pink; it hurt to look at it. Ann's side had a soft feeling to it; she said she wanted her side to look and feel lie home. Norma's side was filled with red and gold; A true Gryffindor. Ginny's side was filled with pictures of her family and friends plus some Quidditch posters. Bloom's on the other hand was almost empty. She only had a few pictures Mrs. Weasley took of them placed on her headboard, it wasn't much but it was enough for her. Hagrid had given Harry and Bloom an album filled with pictured of their parents. Bloom had asked Professor Snape to make a copy of it. When she had showed it to him, his face turned to stone as he stared at it. After a while he did what she asked. She gave back the original to Harry and kept the copy. Ever since then, she kept it near her bed.

As the others went to bed, Bloom waited for Ginny. Half passed eleven Ginny returned shaking head to toe. Bloom quickly jumped off her bed and ran to her.

"Ginny," Bloom asked as low as she could. "Where have you been?"

Ginny looked at her with tears, in her eyes Bloom could see some relief. "It's over. It's gone… I got rid of it. It won't come back anymore, Bloom. It's over." and with that Ginny fell asleep. It took a bit for Bloom to carry Ginny to the bed.

After tucking Ginny in Bloom stared at her, Bloom could not understand what Ginny had meant but she didn't want to worry about it at the moment. It was the first time in a long time that Ginny looked relieved and happy. Bloom quietly walked to her bed and tucked herself in, she wanted to rest.

* * *

Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free, at the beginning of February. Bloom sat with them in the common room, she let Ginny rest a bit more. She more than anyone needed it.

Harry showed them T. M. Riddle's diary and told them the story of how they had found it.

"Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.

"If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Harry."

"I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it," said Harry. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."

"Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favor…"

As they discussed, Bloom stared at the diary. She knew she had seen it before but couldn't think from where. It was really bugging her, where could she have seen it before?

"Bloom?" Bloom looked up to see the others staring at her.

"Yes?"

"What's wrong?" Harry asked her, "Have you seen this diary before?"

"Oh… no… it's just bugging me. I was trying to figure out why anyone would want to get rid of it…" the word 'rid' brought her talk with Ginny back to her so fast, her stomach hurt. No, Ginny could not have anything to do with the diary. There was no way. Ginny loved her diary, she always wrote on it… but lately she hasn't. Maybe there was a something about this.

"Bloom, what's going on?" asked a worried Harry

"It's nothing, Harry." She answered, "I just want to understand something but I can't. At least, not yet."

* * *

There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.

It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years…

Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that Harry was the guilty one; that he had "given himself away" at the Dueling Club. It took all of Bloom's will power not to set his hair on fire. Ernie did notice her glare and quickly went off.

Peeves wasn't helping matters; he kept popping up in the crowded corridors singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter…" now with a dance routine to match. Bloom would have found it funny if it wasn't towards her brother.

Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. He went on and on how the culprit was scared of him and how close he was to finding him. Abe rolled his eyes and shared a look with Bloom. Then Lockhart went on how he had a surprise in store for them.

Ginny and Bloom hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. She thought, for a moment, that she'd walked through the wrong doors. The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling.

Bloom and Ginny slowly walked to their sit next to Ron and Hermione. They all stared at the scene in front of them when Harry came in.

"What's going on?" Harry asked them, sitting down and wiping confetti off his bacon.

Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence.

Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence.

The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, Bloom could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Professor Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro – it was the same look Harry had when he had to take it.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all — and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion. And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Bloom glared at Lockhart, he did not just embarrass one of her favorite teachers. Professor Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.

Bloom groaned

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Bloom.

Bloom quickly gave her stuff to Abe and Ginny as she ran away with the evil little dwarfs chasing her.

"Get back here Bloom 'otter!" it squealed

"Not on your life!"

She turned the corner and ran into Harry, who was panting.

"Drawf chasing you?" He asked panting

"Yeah. You?"

"Yup… Here they come. RUN!"

All day Harry and Bloom were running away from dwarfs. There was at least ten chasing Harry and fifteen chasing Bloom. Bloom couldn't understand how she got so many. Did she even know that many people? They finally found refuge in the Gryffindor common room. Out of breathe, they gave walked slowly to the sofa and fell on it in sync.

"What happened to you two?" Bloom heard Hermione's voice say

Harry just groaned and refused to get up. "Chased throughout the whole school… wouldn't give up. Too tired."

His bag fell causing all his stuff to fall out. Including the diary.

Bloom looked up when Harry began to move. She saw Ginny staring down at the diary, her face paled so face Bloom thought she was going to be sick. Ginny got up quickly and ran to the dorm rooms. Bloom quickly followed as the others tried to help Harry. She stopped at the door.

"He has it… no… this can't be happening… I have to get it back… what do I do… he can't find out how it works…"

Bloom waited until Ginny stopped talking to herself. It was Ginny's diary that Harry had found, but Harry showed it to her. It was empty, why was Ginny so scared?

* * *

Days passed in the blink of the eye. Harry didn't answer any of Bloom's questions about the diary. Harry wouldn't let her see it or even be near it. Ginny was acting weird again and wouldn't answer her questions either.

It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good.

Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song.

Bloom left Ginny with Luna the next day. She wanted some answers and Harry was going to give them to her, whether he liked it or not.

As she left the Great Hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione to go and collect his Quidditch things, she started to question him when –

Harry shouted aloud and Bloom, Ron and Hermione both jumped away from him in alarm.

"The voice!" said Harry, -looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again — didn't you?"

Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Harry — I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"

And she sprinted away, up the stairs.

"I'm going with her!" Bloom shouted as she chased after Hermione

* * *

"Hermione, can you please explain this to me?" Bloom asked her yet again.

"Think about it Bloom." Hermione finally answered, "Harry hears the monster, but he is the only one. Expect for you sometimes. SO what if the monster is a snake!"

Bloom stared at her before blinking several times. "That does make sense… but what kind of snake petrifies people? I mean wouldn't the professors thought about it?" Bloom followed Hermione around the library, looking through the shelves.

"What do I look for? I want to help." Bloom asked.

"Ancient Creatures or anything snake related."

They worked in silences looking through selves and selves. It felt like they were never going to find it when –

"Hermione! Over here."

"Here, it's called _The Ancient Creatures of the Age_" it was really old and covered in dusty. Part of the book was ripped apart, the cover had a picture of a weird looking snake and behind it was some kind of giant bird. The bird was the reason Bloom even saw it in the first place.

Hermione grabbed the book and began to look thru it. She was looking thru it so fast and made Bloom's head spin.

"Here!" Hermione shouted, it was a miracle no one heard her and then she read out loud:

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it. _

"That's it!" Bloom cheered, "We have to get this to a Professor!"

"Wait, Bloom." Hermione said, "We have to be careful now. We don't know when it'll show up plus Harry heard it not long along… What I want to know is how it's travelling around the school. Wouldn't someone have seen it?"

Bloom looked down – thinking – the only way to travel is the corridors. But what if it was underground – that was it!

"Hermione, what if it was underground and the only way up would be the pipes. Snakes are all muscle"

"That's it Bloom… know why hasn't anyone died yet?" Hermione asked

"No one must have looked right at its eyes… Colin had his camera, Justin saw it through Nick – who got full blast – but he can't die because he's already dead."

"You're right… come on…. Let's tell someone."

As they ran out they saw a girl coming in, she had a badge with the letter P on it. "Don't run, you know it's not allowed."

"We know what the monster is!" Bloom said at once

The girl jumped up, "What? But how?"

Quickly they explained everything they uncovered. The more they told her and more she paled. "Okay," she said, "let's find Professor Dumbledore… "

"Wait," Hermione stopped them, "do you have a mirror? We can use it to look around the corners."

"Good idea"

"I do have one… hold on." She answered pulling a small mirror out.

They began to walk slowly; Bloom never noticed how long a hallway was until now. Every second felt like ages, she wanted to get out of the castle and find the others as soon as possible. They were all shaking in fear; it took them a lot not to run. Hermione and the Prefect Clearwater were in front of her because Bloom was the youngest. Their reasoning made Bloom's eyes roll.

They made it to the corner, Hermione and Clearwater stopped. Hermione used the mirror. Bloom looked behind them when she turned back she froze – Hermione and Clearwater were petrified. Bloom didn't know what to do. She couldn't leave them; she pulled out her wand and stood still. It was here. Slowly she moved Hermione and Clearwater away from the corner, just when her back was turned a whipped forced hit her.

The force was so strong it threw her across the hall. She slammed into the wall with her right side, knocking the air out of her. Her head hit something sharp then she fell down to the ground. Her eyes were still open but she was dazed. She couldn't see right. She felt some liquid around her face. The last thing she saw was something big slither away.

* * *

Professor Snape was not happy. He had to grade so many papers he just wanted to set them on fire. The game was about to start, it would be a good break for him. But first he had to return a book he got for his potions class. He walked peacefully, the only reason he like Quidditch season was because the castle was quiet in those short hours and left him alone.

He turned the corner to see two girls frozen on the floor. It was Granger and Clearwater. He ran to them and checked them out, he was about to call out for the other professors when he saw a sight that made him lose all his coloring.

"Bloom!" he shouted and ran to her.

He kneed beside her. His knees got covered in her blood.

She was faced up, her head tilted to the right. Her hair and right side of her face covered in blood. Her right arm was stretched out slightly, like she wanted to reach up but couldn't. She had bruises on one side of her face.

"Bloom! Can you hear me! **Bloom**!"

He pointed his wand at her and began to seal her wounds, enough to be able to move her.

"Pro-fess-orrr…"

"Bloom, hold on. Just a bit more, tell me where it hurts…"

"it was so… fast… 'mione and clear… froze…" Bloom whispered, "I co - uldn't…. leav' them…"

"Shh… it's okay… Relax…. Just stay still."

"I… sorry…" she choked out some blood. Surprising both of them and then her eyes rolled back.

"**ALL PROFESSORS COME TO THE LIBRARY MAINWAY RIGHT NOW!" **Snape shouted in such volumes, he would have deafened anyone near him. "**MADAM POMFREY YOU HAVE NEEDED NOW! STUDENT LIFE ON THE LINE!" **he knew if there were any students that heard his cry would be really scared but he didn't care. Bloom was going to die if she didn't get help now.

* * *

**There you have it… I hope you liked it and please REVIEW! Please. Please thank my Beta Mira S.S.S.B too. Thank You.**


	27. Voice in You

***IMPORTANT NEWS***

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**Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I had a lot of work trying to write what I saw in my mind. Now I have something new for you, a new rule. It's not the bad really… if I don't get any reviews, more than 3 for this chapter I won't update for two or more weeks. I see that there are a lot of people reading this story but only two or three review. I'm starting to think you don't like my story. And that maybe I should just give up. You don't even have to write a sentence. You can just write one word: update. That's all I ask. Thank You**

**Disclaimer: I don't not own Harry Potter... but I sure do wish I owned Sirius Black. **

**(A/N) I am not British, ****I am Mexican American****, and I don't know the British language (grammar) or ways. So don't get mad at me please. Thank you. Oh and**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR COUSIN! YOU ARE NOW 18 AND OLD! JK. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU EVERY DAY!**

* * *

**Voice of You**

Everything hurt.

Everything was dark.

And then…

There was no light, no sound, and no feelings.

No nothing

_Was this how it felt like to be dead?_

_Who am i? Where am i? Why am I here?_

Words were spinning around Bloom's head. Or was it even her head. Bloom wasn't sure. The only thing she did know was that she was alone. There was no one there to answer her. She was alone. She couldn't get her lips to move, she couldn't feel her body. It was like she wasn't in her body. Was she dead?

If so, where were her parents? Surely, her parents would be the first people she would see if she was dead.

So that had to mean she wasn't dead, right?

She had to alive or else what was she? And then she heard it –

"_Child, follow me." _

Bloom looked around, or at least what she thought was around. But there was no one there, no one to help her, no one that could have talked to her. She was alone. Maybe she imagined the voice. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe she really was dead but has not moved on. Was this the process of becoming a ghost?

"_Find me, Child… You are so close… come to me."_

"_Where are you?" Bloom shouted into the darkness._

"_I am here… I am always with you… you will begin your path now. Say my name and you will find me." It said, "Look through your mind's eye."_

_Bloom closed her eyes. She began to relax, she took several deep breathes and exhaled. Then she could see it. She could see a fire starting, it looked like a candle then it got bigger and bigger until it took the form of a giant bird but it wasn't just a bird. It was a woman, but at the same time – a bird._

_An Angel_

_Bloom opened her eyes, now in plain view she could see it._

"_You are Hasmal…" Bloom said_

_The Angel smiled, "That is the name that was first given to me… throughout the eons it has changed. In this eon, I am known as Hope or Hestia."_

"_May I call you Hestia?" Bloom asked._

"_Of course," Hestia smiled, "It has been a long time since I have spoken to a young witch. But you my dear are by far the youngest."_

_Bloom smiled, "Hestia, not to be rude. But are you really an Angel?"_

_To Bloom's surprise Hestia laughed. Her laugh sounded like music, the kind you always wanted to listen to and kind that you wished would never stop. "I am in my human form, Dear Bloom. The closes I can get to it. My wings are hard to hide."_

"_I don't blame you; your wings are beautiful…"_

"_Thank you Small One."_

"_If you don't mind me asking… where are we? I don't quite understand what's going on?" Bloom asked._

"_You, my child, are in yourself – In your soul – That is where I am." Hestia answered. "I am a part of you. From the moment you were born, I have always been with you. I am where you get your Elemental powers from. You will learn to use them, I will teach you. You play an important role in this time. You and your brother are destined to protect people. But I cannot tell you more. For now, you must heal. You will research your power, you will learn and protect. I will guide you in your journey but be warned Small One. I cannot decide for you." Hestia landed in front of Bloom, she placed her hands on both of Bloom's cheeks and stared at her like a mother would, "You have lost so much, so young. But do not be sad, for you are strong. In the end, you will be happy. You and your brother will be granted your desires in a way you may never understand or know. But shall it happen or not it is up to your decisions." She kissed Bloom's forehead, "Sleep and heal now, Small One. We shall meet again."_

* * *

The next time Bloom took a breath, she was in a body that hurt. She was far too weak to open her eyes. She had no idea where she was. She remembered that she was attacked, along with Hermione and Clearwater. And then there was pain – pain like she had never felt. The pain alone made her pass out. Then she had heard someone shout her name. That someone sounded so sad so scared that it hurt her to hear.

She opened her eyes to see the fuzzy image of Professor Snape.

He looked scared; she never thought he would be scared of anything. And yet, here he was, moments from tears.

"Bloom! Can you hear me! Bloom!" he cried out as he tried to heal her.

"Pro-fess-orrr…" Bloom tried to say, only to come out as weak whispers.

"Bloom, hold on. Just a bit more, tell me where it hurts…" Professor Snape shouted. Bloom could tell he didn't mean to shout, that he couldn't help it.

"It was so… fast… 'mione and clear… froze…" Bloom whispered, "I co - uldn't…. leav' them…" it hurt her to talk but she had to warn him. She just had to pass down the information that she and Hermione had found.

"Shh… it's okay… Relax…. Just stay still."

"I… sorry…" she choked out some blood. Surprising both of them and then her eyes rolled back. She could faintly hear Professor Snape's shouts for help.

* * *

"Professor Snape what is the – Oh my God!" Professor McGonagall gasped; she was the first teacher to arrive. The sight before her scared her to death. Two students were frozen on the ground; while one was bleeding to death. She quickly ran to help Snape. "Where is her most mortal injury?" she asked him.

"Everywhere… whatever attacked them hit her so hard… her bones are broken – nearly all of them. The wound on her head is really deep, I can't close it. Madam Pomfrey has to arrive now or she'll – " he couldn't say that word, not _that _word. To say it would make it final.

Within moments, they had mend Bloom's spine and legs. There were working on her arms when the other professors arrived. They heard them gasp. Then Dumbledore was kneeing next to them. He pulled out his wand and helped them heal Bloom's ribs. Madam Pomfrey can next, she checked Bloom quickly. Then looked up to them, "I need to get her to the Hospital wing now!" she cried out, "the healing you did helped buy us some time, but I need to get her to the Hospital wing now or she won't make it."

Not needing to be told twice, Dumbledore picked up a book that Snape had been holding, he flicked his waved at it and handed it to Pomfrey. Within seconds, Bloom, Pomfrey and Snape were gone.

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall, "Cancel the match. Students are to go to their dorms. Stay with them; make sure Harry and Ron do not know of this until we know what will happen with Bloom. Pomona and Filius, take Miss Granger and Miss Clearwaters to the hospital wing." And with that he went off to the Hospital wing himself.

* * *

Harry Potter was worried.

Not only was the match cancelled, Hermione and Bloom were nowhere to be found, he knew he shouldn't have let them go off by themselves. When they arrived at the common he thought he would have found them. But no-one had seen them at all, he tried to ask Professor McGonagall but she would not answer him. She looked like she was trying not to cry.

Ron sat next to his siblings. It seemed that he too felt that something was very wrong. He looked up when Harry approached them. "Anything?"

"No, she won't say anything. I asked her about Bloom but she wouldn't answer me. I'm getting ready worried." Harry ran his hand thru his hair.

"Not worry Harry –" Fred started

"Bloom's a tough cookie plus –"

"Hermione's with her, she'll be fine." Fred finished

"I hope you're right." Just then the portrait door opened, Dumbledore came in with a grave face. He whispered something to Professor McGonagall, who seemed relieved but scared. Then he turned to the crowd, "I am sad to inform you all today, that all Quidditch activities and after class activities are now cancelled." There was a thud sound, everyone turned to see Oliver Wood – he had fallen on his chair and looked ready to pass out. "Professor McGonagall will explain it to you shortly… for now I need the following students to follow me: Harry Potter and the Weasley siblings." As they stood up, everyone stared at them. Fred kept a hold Ginny's hand as they walked passed everyone.

They followed Dumbledore in silences; no one knew what to say. The tension seemed to grow more and more which step, Harry didn't notice when they made it to the hospital doors. "This will come as a shock to you." He opened the door and walked in.

Harry's insides did a horrible somersault. Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair.

Harry recognized her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room.

"Penny?" Percy whispered as he ran to her side, the twins didn't even say anything they were too busy staring at something else – something besides that bed.

And on the bed next to her was —

"Hermione!" Ron groaned. Everyone ran to her bed.

Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library," said Professor Dumbledore "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…" he was holding up a small, circular mirror.

Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.

Then Harry's head snapped up, "Wait!" he shouted, he turned to look at Dumbledore, "Bloom – my sister – she was with Hermione, where is she?" everyone turned to look at them.

Dumbledore sighed and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Follow me Harry."

Harry's stomach dropped with every step. They made it to a bed, whose curtains were drawn. With a shaking hand, Harry pulled them back – within moments he wished he hadn't.

There was Bloom.

She was wrapped around everywhere, expect her neck and face. There was a wrap around the top part of her head. Her eyes were closed. Her skin was so pale she looked –

Dead.

"Bloom!" Harry shouted and ran to her side. He held her hand as the tears fell down his face. "Bloom, wake up. Please Bloom, wake up. Don't – don't you dare die on me. Do you hear me? I'll never forgive you." He pushed his forehead on her bed, "you can't leave me too Bloom. Please, wake up…"

He did not notice the others. Fred and George looked like something inside them just died, like there was no laughter left in them as they sank into the floor, eyes full of tears. Ron stared, he couldn't move. There was no way that Bloom Potter could be… she couldn't be… dead. Ginny stood still, her legs wouldn't move, she couldn't breathe. Her best friend was lying on that bed, she couldn't tell if Bloom was breathing or not. Bloom's face looked too peaceful, like she was dreaming and not … no Bloom could not be gone. Bloom was strong. She just had to be alive.

" 'Arry…"

Everyone's head snapped up to the source: Bloom

Her eyes were barely open. She was breathing heavily and out of balance. "Bloom, are you okay?" Harry asked as Madam Pomfrey came running.

But Bloom didn't seem to hear him; she just kept repeating his name until she fell asleep again.

* * *

How long did she sleep, Bloom wasn't sure. She could hear some people talk though. But her body just felt too heavy to move, she couldn't let them know she was awake. She couldn't think of a way to let them know what she and Hermione had found. Not a sound would come out of her mouth; all she could do was to wait until whatever was wrong with her was over.

The second time she 'woke up' she heard Professor Snape's voice: "_Has there been any chance_?"

A soft voice answered him, "_No, not yet Severus. She lost a lot of blood and hit her head pretty hard. I would move her but that would cause her more pain. The potions you made have helped her though. The pink is returning to her cheeks… she's being to breathe regularly now; it's only a matter of time. I think she'll be healed by the time everyone is de-petrified."_

"_That's good…"_

Whenever Bloom got too bored, she would sing a song she had written for her parents. For some reason, it helped her think of them.

_Promise that we'll stay for the sunset,_

_And when the moon shines through the darkness,_

_We can find the path that leads us home,_

_And on the way you'll..._

_...maybe..._

_...sing me a song._

_Promise that you always will be there,_

_Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared,_

_Help me stand up tall if I fall down,_

_Make me laugh away all my bluest days!_

_How could you promise you always would be there?_

_Why'd you have to go away somewhere?_

_Every morning into every night,_

_Do you watch over me like the sun in the sky?_

_Am I all alone, or standing in your light?_

_I wish that I could..._

_...maybe..._

_...sing you a song..._

_...tonight._

_You promised me we'd stay for the sunset..._

She never sang this song to anyone, not even Harry. Bloom wanted to have her own connection to her parents, even if they would never hear her song.

And then – many days later – or was it weeks? Bloom felt something change in her. She was scared because she didn't know what was going on but then she wasn't because it felt safe and warm. She felt like she was glowing, she was weightless and free. Whatever was happening was cleaning her. It was like a wave flowing over her, from toes to head. She felt the wraps release her and then the one on her heard broke off freeing her hair. It was bliss.

Her wounds seemed to heal, her bones felt strong again.

"_You are ready Small One… you must rise and save your friend. I will guide you. Use your heart to find the way… you know, your path now. Now follow it."_

Bloom's eyes snapped open.

* * *

**I personally don't like cliffies but… I think one is in order. Please thank my beta Mira. S.S.S.B please review.**

**Mira here… Please review this story. I don't go over this for your enjoyment you know. I do this for my friends happiness. So stop being lazy and review!**


	28. Chamber of Secrets

**I would like to say ****HAPPY NEW YEARS****!**

**I hope you guys ****appreciate**** the holidays and your family. My family (father, mother and siblings) and I moved away from all our family almost 6 years ago. I miss them everyone, it is very lonely without them. So please appreciate your family. Hold them. You never know when they'll disappear from your life for long periods of times.**

**Don't forget to Review. ****Let's go to 5 reviews now, 5 of you did review****. I would like to ****Thank You.**** You have made me really happy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**(A/N) I'm not British!**

* * *

_**Chamber of Secrets**_

Bloom got up slowly from her bed, she looked around the room. It was really quiet, she knew Poppy would hear her if she moved. How could she escape without notice? And then – it clicked. She stood up on her mattress. Pulled out her wand and casted Wingardium Leviosa, her mattress lifted up with her. She silently flew across the room, Poppy didn't even move once as Bloom passed her office.

Bloom had to smile; Harry always complained that he could never escape Madam Pomfrey. Then Bloom saw a problem, the door was locked. For some reason, she knew what to do.

_Raise your hand, Small one. Feel the flame within yourself. Now release it!_

Bloom did what she was told. She felt the magic thru her and flow. It was like the wind was carrying her and not because she used Wingardium Leviosa – this feeling was different. Then door clicked and she smile. She slowly opened it and flew by; when she was a few feet away she dropped the spell and began to run.

She felt that Ginny was in danger, she had to save her.

Her heart – even though it sounded cheesy – it was true – told her where to go. She marched down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Then she heard a hiss.

She looked inside to see Ginny. She looked like she was trying to fight something but couldn't. Ginny was shaking so bad that it scared Bloom, no matter how much Bloom wanted to go to her – she couldn't. She had to wait.

The sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

Even though she was fighting it – Ginny walked into it.

She lowered herself slowly into the pipe, then let go.

It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and she knew that she was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons, thudding slightly at the curves.

And then, just as she had begun to worry about what would happen when she hit the ground, the pipe leveled out, and he shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in.

But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound she heard was a loud crunch as she stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. Bloom lowered her wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones.

She froze, watching. Bloom could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving. The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.

And then, at last, as she crept around yet another bend, she saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

Bloom approached her throat very dry. The door was closing – she ran and jumped in the last second possible.

* * *

She was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. Her heart beating very fast, Bloom stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?

Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. She kept her eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following her. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, she thought she saw one stir.

Then, as she drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.

Bloom had to crane her neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor.

Then she saw Ginny kneeing on the ground, gasping.

"Ginny!" Bloom shouted as she ran to her side. "Ginny, tell me what's wrong."

"Bloom," Ginny panted, "I'm sorry… I tried… I'm so sorry… please, don't be mad at me. Don't hate me."

Bloom held onto Ginny as Ginny sank into the earth. Bloom rocked her back and forward – trying to calm her down. "It'll be okay, don't worry. I'm here… I'm here."

"I'm sorry – I'm so sorry."

"It'll be okay – calm down. Just listen to my voice…" Bloom whispered.

Ginny could only nod weakly as she cried. Ginny looked so pale – and was getting paler by the second – it frighten Bloom, Ginny was like her sister, someone she could tell her problems – her girl problems. She couldn't tell things she told Ginny to Harry.

"_Come stop your crying,_

_It will be all right_

_Just take my hand and hold on tight _

_I will protect you from all around you_

_I will be here don't you cry_

_For one so small, you seem so strong_

_My arms on hold you keep you safe and warm_

_This bond between us can't be broken_

_I will be here don't you cry_"

Bloom's tears over flowed as Ginny started to become limp. She laid her down and placed her hand on Ginny's heart.

_Fire is energy, give her your flame_

Bloom's hands began to feel warm and glow. She could feel her warmth going to Ginny. Just then – Ginny's diary began to glow and a person came out.

* * *

A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Bloom were looking at him through a misted window.

"Who are you? How did you come out of the diary?"

But he did not answer. He stared at her, in a very creepy, scary way. She saw hunger in his eye. He walked around her – keeping his eyes on her at all times. "Dark red hair…" he whispered, loud enough to let her hear. "Hazel eyes, peachy skin tone. Oh and yes some freckles… if I didn't know better, I would say at you are the Bloom Potter."

Bloom felt her eyes widen, "H- how did you know that? Who are you?"

The stranger boy smiled, "I am Tom Riddle. But I know you won't understand that, no you're just a little girl."

"A little girl that _isn't _afraid of you. Now answer me! Who are you? What do you want? What did you do to Ginny?"

The boy stared down at her – then he smiled. "I have done nothing to little Ginny Weasley. She brought this on her own. My diary, Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes — how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how —" Riddle's eyes glinted "— how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her…"

Bloom looked back to Ginny. They had talked about Harry. Ginny did like him – because he was Harry, not The Harry Potter, just Harry. Bloom told her that Harry didn't even know girls existed yet. The saying "Girl's mature faster than boys" was true.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom… I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in… It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…" Riddle laughed a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Bloom's neck. "If I say it myself, Bloom, I've always been able to charm the people I needed." So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted… I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her…"

"YOU MONSTER! YOU SICK HUMAN BEING! NO – YOU'RE NOT EVEN HUMAN! YOU'RE – YOU'RE!" Bloom's eyes widen, she knew who Tom was… Tom was… he was… "Voldemort"

He smiled a cruel, evil smile that sent chills up her spine. "Yes. I am Lord Voldemort. Ginny told me all about your story. The Potter story, I can tell by the look in your face that you really hate me, don't you Bloom?"

Bloom bit her lower lip, "I swear if I wasn't trying to save Ginny. I would kill you! I hate you! You should have never been born! No one loves you! No one cares about you! Why don't you just go away! I saw you last year, you're horrible! You're ugly! You don't even look like a creature, you look like a ghost! **Do us all a favor and die!"**

Bloom was panting by the end; tears ran down her face faster.

Voldemort stared at her; his eyes had turned red. "It looked like someone is coming as well… I wouldn't make some noise if I were you." Then he fell back into the shadows. Bloom turned around looking for him. She was scared that he would attack her from behind – in fact – she wouldn't doubt it.

_Fire protects us, Fire shield come "Incendio shieldmus"_

The fire shield that once protected Bloom and Harry appeared and protected her once again.

She saw the door open – then Harry appeared.

* * *

"BLOOM!"

As soon as Harry saw the fire shield – he knew Bloom was there. He ran as fast as he could towards her.

"Don't come any closer, Harry!" the panic in her voice made him stop.

"B-bloom? Wh-what's going on? How did you get here? When did you wake up?" Harry asked. He looked around. "Why is Ginny on the floor?"

"Harry! There's no time, run! Go away! Don't come back, RUN!"

"I'm not going anywhere, Bloom" Harry said, "Let's get out of here before the monster comes." He walked towards them, Bloom's tears came faster. She wanted Harry to run – to get out of here before –

"Hello young Harry Potter."

Too late

Harry stared at him. "Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

"RUN HARRY! IT'S HIM! IT'S VOLDEMORT!" Bloom shouted in distress, Harry had to get out of here alive, even if – even if she and Ginny didn't.

Harry stared at his tearful sister and slowly turned to back to Tom. "You – how did you get here?"

"That doesn't matter – what does matter… "how is it that you — a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

"How do I really know you are who you say you are? You can be lying to us" Harry asked

With his finger Tom wrote the words:

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

Then with a wave of his hand, the words rearranged

**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**

"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course.

You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Bloom stared at the boy that had grown to murder her parents. She felt herself sink

"You're not," Harry said, his quiet voice full of hatred.

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Harry, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days —"

The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look. "Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.

"He's not as gone as you might think!" Harry retorted.

Music was coming from somewhere.

Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Bloom's scalp and made her heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Bloom felt it vibrating inside her own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling.

It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed on his shoulder, gazing steadily at Riddle.

"That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.

"Fawkes?" Harry breathed

"And that —" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat —"

Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once. Bloom flinched at the laugh.

"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now? To business, Harry," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice — in your past, in my future — we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive." He smiled, "and if you don't answer… I'll kill your sister"

"I'll like to see you try!" Bloom shouted.

"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Harry abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill us. Because my mother died to save us."

"Our common Muggle-born mother," Bloom added

"She stopped you killing us. And we've seen the real you, we saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul —"

Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. "So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now… there is nothing special about you, after all. "I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles, probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself, we even look something alike… but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."

Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed. Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Bloom saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, "CLOSE YOUR EYES HARRY!" Bloom shouted

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Bloom felt it shudder — she knew what was happening, she could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. How could she help her brother?

Bloom raised her wand and point to wear Hestia told her to and shouted "Confundus!" over and over again. When she heard the snake hiss in annoyance she shouted "Conjunctivitis!" several times. She hoped it gave Harry enough time to run.

She couldn't help it — she opened her eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.

The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor.

The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Bloom could shut her eyes, it turned — its eyes were bleeding! It could no longer use his eyes! Maybe they did have a chance!

The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.

Bloom aimed her wand at the basilisk's head and shouted "CONJUNCTIVITIS!" she felt her wand explode with power, the largest light came out of her wand and hit its target. The power in the spell caused the basilisk to knock into a pillar.

Bloom turned to look at her brother – who was holding a gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.

Bloom watched as Harry was on his feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him. Shee could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow Harry whole, lined with fangs long as his sword, thin, glittering, venomous. It lunged blindly, Harry dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side. He raised the sword in both his hands —The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true — Bloom could see Harry throw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth. And it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.

Harry slid down the wall. Harry gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm.

"NO! HARRY!"

Harry smiled at her sadly, Bloom felt her whole being fall into the ground.

A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.

"Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes…"

Tom walked towards him, "STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Bloom yelled, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!" but he ignored her shouts.

"You're dead, Harry Potter," said Riddle's voice above him. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."

Crying? Wait – hadn't Professor Dumbledore said that phoenix had healing powers? Could Fawkes be – could he be healing Harry?

"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry. So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry…She bought you twelve years of borrowed time… but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must… " he looked up and stared at Bloom, "Don't worry, I'll take _great _care of your sister."

Bloom stared at Fawkes as his tears fell onto Harry's wound.

"Get away, bird," said Riddle's voice suddenly. "Get away from him — I said, get away —Phoenix tears…" said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. "Of course… healing powers… I forgot…" He looked into Harry's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter… you and me…"

Bloom quickly pulled her wand out and cried out "Flagrate" the spell hit Tom, causing him to fly back several wards.

Fawkes had soared back overhead and something fell into Harry's lap — the diary.

Harry seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then —He had gone.

Bloom's shield lower, Bloom stared at her alive brother as he stared at her.

Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring.

As Harry hurried toward them, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.

"Bloom — oh, Harry — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, Harry — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — how did you kill that — that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary —"

"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here —"

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept

"No, you won't Ginny." Bloom said softly as she helped her up, "We won't let that happen. Dumbledore will understand."

Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Harry urged them forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Bloom heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss.

* * *

After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Bloom's ears.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her! And Bloom is with me too!"

She heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall.

"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How — what — where did that bird come from?"

Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Bloom.

"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through himself.

"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand. "How did you get here Bloom? Weren't you… how did.."

"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever, in Bloom's arms.

"But —"

"Later," Harry said shortly. "Where's Lockhart?"

"Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."

Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.

"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Harry.

Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.

"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" he said to Ron.

Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there —"

Fawkes," said Harry, "isn't an ordinary bird." He turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Fawkes, hold onto Professor Lockhart please. Ron hold onto his left arm – Ginny hold onto Ron. Bloom you will do the same to me."

They all nodded.

An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through her whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Bloom could hear Lockhart saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!"

The chill air was whipping through Bloom's hair, and before she'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over — all five of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.

"Oh, well… I'd just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.

"Ew…" Bloom whispered

"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.

"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. Harry pointed.

Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office. Harry knocked and pushed the door open.

* * *

For a moment there was silence as Harry, Bloom, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry's case) blood.

Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest.

Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Harry found himself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley's tight embrace – which Bloom managed to dodge.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly then turned to Bloom, "Miss. Potter, how in the world are you – I mean – you were in the hospital just a few…"

Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry, who hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of

Riddle's diary.

Then he started telling them everything.

For nearly a quarter of an hour he spoke into the rapt silence: He told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione and Bloom had finally realized that he was hearing a basilisk in the pipes; how he and Ron had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how he had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom…

Bloom stared at Harry with wide eyes when Harry talked about Aragog.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as he paused, "so you found out where the entrance was — breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"

So Harry, his voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. But then he faltered. He had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary — or Ginny.

Bloom smiled at her brother gently, she knew he didn't want to get her in trouble.

What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief — warm, sweeping, glorious relief – swept over Harry. "W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not… Ginny hasn't been… has she?"

"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen…"

Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.

"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered. Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school… traveled far and wide… sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"

"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"

"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!'

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her.

"Professor, may I go too." Bloom asked, "I'm really tired… I think I have used too much power. I feel like I'm about to – "

She passed out.

* * *

Bloom opened her eyes to see the worried and extremely mad face of Professor Snape. Oh, I'm in trouble. She thought.

She slowly sat up and bit her lip, "Hello Professor," she said was cheerful as possible, "What brings you here?" she blinked her eyes innocently.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" he spoke in a dead whisper. That was not good, not good at all.

"Umm…"

"I came here to check on you." He said, "And what do I find? You're mattress was up the hall, you were gone!" he was shaking with fury. "What were you thinking? I ran to the Headmaster – when I open the door, I see you on the ground. McGonagall was trying to wake you up. We bring you here – Pomfrey tells us you over used your magic! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Bloom blushed, this was the first time she felt like she was being lectured by a – dare say think it – parent. "Well… it's hard to explain it… you see…" Bloom told him everything. From the moment she and Hermione went off to the chamber. By the end of it, Professor Snape's coloring was off. He went from red to white in ten seconds flat. He opened his mouth like he was trying to say something.

He sank into his seat. "You… you are… this is… I can't find the right words."

"Yeah, I know. You're not mad, are you?"

He took his time to answer that, "No, I'm not mad. But next time – there better not be a next time – you have to come to me or any professor. Do you understand me?" he glared at her gently causing her to blush.

"I promise."

Bloom had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. The twins were having the time of their lives. Luna and Abe ran to her.

Luna was in tears, she explained that she found out she was missing and that Ginny was taking and was so scared she cried all evening and hadn't stopped. Abe lectured her on being reckless and stupid and to never scare him like that again before stomping off to his friends.

Bloom rolled her eyes and walked to her spot next to Harry.

Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been canceled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione),

Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.  
"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He has starting to grow on me."

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences — Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.

Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Bloom, Luna, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny and Luna giggled. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend."

Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny.

"That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.

Bloom couldn't take it anymore, she laughed.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.

Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.

"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them.

"I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to…"

"Wouldn't it be easier to owl us?" Bloom asked

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

Bloom snorted unladylike

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"

And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.

* * *

**This is the longest I have written, I think… I'm really tired… Please Review. The more reviews I get the faster I update. Plus I have been looking forward to 3****rd**** year.**

**Please thank my Beta Mira S.S.S.B**


	29. Welcoming and Unwelcoming

**Hello everyone.**

**We are about to start book 3. I have so many ideas I don't know what I would pick. There's so much I want to write about this – but so little time. I hope to please you somehow – I hope I can. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. No matter how much I wish for it.**

**I am not British; please don't be upset if I misuse a word or something.**

**Thank You**

* * *

**Welcoming and Unwelcoming Visits**

* * *

Bloom Potter was an unusual girl from every angle.

For one thing, she hated summers the most. So did her brother; Harry Potter. During the night, they had to do all the homework assignments because their relatives did not like magic or them in the house. As soon as they returned for the summer, their school belongs were locked away in their old cupboard.

They also happen to be a witch and wizard. Both went to Hogwarts, a school for magical people. Harry was due to start his third year while Bloom would start her second year.

Harry and Bloom are orphans.

They lost their parents on one awful night. Voldemort came to their home on Halloween to kill their family. James Potter – their father – first and then killed their Mother; Lily Potter. Voldemort then turned his wand to Harry and Bloom. But somehow Harry and Bloom survived – a feat no one had ever imagined would happen.

Harry and Bloom were brought to their only living relatives; The Dursleys.

Bloom hoped that this year would be better than last year.

Last year, several students and she were almost killed. The Chamber of Secrets was open by Voldemort – who took control over her best friend; Ginny Weasley, and almost killed her in the process.

Together Bloom and Harry were able to stop Voldemort and save Ginny.

* * *

Bloom's birthday was uneventful.

She received gifts from her friends. A couple of charm books, school supplies for next year. Hermione gave her all her past notes – well a copy of them – on Hermione's first and second year. Plus the notes she missed. It could make two text books. But she was grateful of it. Ron got her chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. Ginny sent her an album half filled with pictures of them and all their friends. The funniest gift she got was from the twins, it was a book. When she had opened it she was surprised to see a book. She was nervous about opening it in the first place – but she did it anyways. She opened it and a cloud of smoke popped out – she dropped the book in shock.

It looked down to see fireworks popping out and images of him dancing around singing happy birthday.

Harry gave her a dueling book and a book on how to control fire – "it might help" he had told her.

Right now Harry was sitting on his desk doing his homework – which they had to sneak out of the cupboard – Bloom had finished her the past night now she just sat by the window. Bloom leaned her head on the window staring at the moon which reminded her of a smile. She knew she should be asleep but she couldn't. Her family album sat on her lap. She looked through it for the thousandth time. She really did look like her mother Lily Potter. There was one picture that she couldn't stop staring at.

It had five people on it.

Two she knew, her mother and father. The other three she had no idea who they were; one of them was a tall man with wavy shoulder-length hair, he was really handsome and had the biggest smile. The other man had sandy short hair, he had some scars on his face but he looked happy. The last one was a short man not good looking like the others and had small watery eyes.

Bloom wondered who they were. They had to be her parent's friends. Bloom wondered if they were still alive and if they were where were they?

* * *

Harry's birthday was uneventful as well. But he did receive several gifts from his friends as well.

Harry and Bloom went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.

Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.

Which Bloom tried to avoid at all cost – her stomach couldn't handle the sight.

Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of mustache. Bloom sat next to Harry. Far from wishing Harry a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys made any sign that they had noticed Harry enter the room, but Harry and Bloom were far too used to this to care.

They helped themself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict.

"… the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon.

The man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle

Bloom stared at him – her stomach gave a violent flip. She felt something in her heart – why did that man: Black felt so familiar to her? The feeling that was in her stomach and heart hurt to see Black so … lost.

Why did she even care? She never met Black before so why was she secretly wishing for him to escape and be okay? Was it pity or something more?

The reporter had reappeared.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Bloom knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.

"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

"Aunt Marge?" Harry blurted out. "Sh-she's not coming here, is she?"

Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Bloom and Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), they had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all their life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Bloom's mind.

She loved to torture Harry and Bloom and compared them to Dudley all the time.

"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment.

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me."

Bloom smiled as she nibbled her toast

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any — any funny stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"

"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."

"What?" Harry and Bloom yelled.

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie."

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.

"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.

Harry got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door.

Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.

"I'm not taking you," he snarled as he turned to see Harry watching him.

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something."

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog — at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry.

"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.

"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.

"Well," said Harry,"it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits…"

"St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Bloom was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.

"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"

Bloom thinned her lips – trying to hold back a laugh

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised.

Bloom was next to her brother, even though she was small that wouldn't stop her.

But Harry stood his ground.

"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.

Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.

"But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug — like I'm normal and everything."

Bloom could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."

"Oh and Uncle?" Bloom said in a sweet note, "I think that you would like to know that _my _abilities aren't detected by the Ministry."

"B-but the l-letter! It said… don't lie!"

"Oh I'm not lying, Uncle," Bloom smiled innocently, "You see, I have a special ability. A different kind of power and because it's so rare no one can tell when I use it. I am free to use it all I want." She paused to give her Uncle time to think, "I think you should sign it soon oh and please don't get me mad, when I get made it gets out of control you do remember what happened last time right? When you insulted my parents and I set the sofa on fire? Now imagine if that happened here?" She had all of the Dursleys attention by this point, "I may be small but I am like a bomb. I just thought you would like to know. Bye now!"

She skipped up the stairs with Harry right behind her; smiling. Leaving the Dursleys pale

Harry had to send Hedwig to Ron to keep her save and away from Aunt Marge's dog.

* * *

Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for them to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.

"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as Harry reached the hall.

Bloom couldn't see the point of trying to make Harry hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be.

All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.

Harry pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a mustache, though not as bushy as his.

In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?"

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him from the looks of it, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

Bloom closed her eyes – she didn't want to be scarred of life, again.

"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Bloom as though she was a hat-stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunias bony cheekbone.

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Margeas they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as he could.

By the time he got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Bloom saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down next to Bloom. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry and Bloom for the first time.

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled.

"It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."

Bloom smiled at her, "We might have been better off at an orphanage." She said sweetly, glaring at Aunt Marge the whole time.

Aunt Marge turned to her, "You might get your wish. Ungrateful! Both of you!"

She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, "Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

Bloom twitched trying to hold back her anger.

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.

"Er —"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," said Harry. "All the time."

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Bloom bit down on her lower lip and closed her eyes – trying to control her temper.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seem too noticed. "Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

Aunt Marge kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person. Bloom gripped on her chair.

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Bloom could tell Harry was trying really hard not to blow – but he was having trouble, so was she.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup —"

At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

Bloom's eyes snapped open when she heard Aunt Marge call _her _mother that word. Her whole body was shaking; she could feel her magic flow around her. Her hair seemed to move like there was wind blowing in the house.

The store and oven turned on – flames reached at least two feet high.

Everyone expect Bloom and Harry screamed. It took a while for everyone to calm down; Bloom and Harry quickly went to their room and slammed the door.

"How dare she!" Bloom shouted, "How dare she call our mother that – that word!" Bloom's tears ran down nonstop "Sh-she's a horrible person, I hate her! Harry! I hate her!"

Harry reached out to her and hugged her as she cried. "I know Bloom, I know."

* * *

At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived.

Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.

"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that… and a bit more… that's the ticket."

Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after…" She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon…"

Bloom rolled her eyes

"Now, this one here —"

She jerked her head at Harry; Bloom bit the inside of her lip.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" — she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."

Bloom's jaw was tembling – _keep calm Bloom, you can do this._ She heard Hestia's soft voice whisper to her

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.

"He — didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry and Bloom. "Unemployed."

Angry tears could be seen on Bloom's eyes. Harry reached for her hand – it was something they always did – to let each other know they were here for each other.

"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —"

"He was not," said Harry suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. Bloom stood up, glaring at her.

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You two," he snarled at them. "Go to bed, go on —"

"No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) —"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry and Bloom

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little —"

But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger — but the swelling didn't stop.

And the room got a lot hotter.

Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech — next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls — she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami… the edges of her clothing was burned off, also the tips of her hair.

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

Harry – grabbing Bloom's hand – tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it.

In seconds, he had heaved his and Bloom's trunk to the front door. Meanwhile, Bloom sprinted upstairs and threw herself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of her and Harry's books and birthday presents. She wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to their trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

Bloom raised her arm – fingers spread apart, inches away from Uncle Vernon's face, a same fireball – small but hot – hovered in her hand. If he made a move closer to them, she would release it.

"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from us."

He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door, Bloom right behind them.

"We're going," Harry said. "We've had enough."

"Here's a parting gift." Bloom said, she released the fireball, it flew straight at them – but she was not aiming for them, they ducked as the ball flew pass them and hit the food.

And in the next moment, Harry and Bloom were out in the dark; quiet street, heaving their heavy trunk behind them, Hedwig's cage under Harry's arm.

* * *

"Where should we go?" Harry asked Bloom

Bloom looked around thinking, "We could go to Abe's place." Harry gave her a 'big brother look' at the mention of Abe's name. " At least, just for the night."

Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak — but before he had found it, Harry straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more.

"What is it, Harry?"

And then she felt it – A funny prickling on the back of her neck had made Bloom feel they were being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.

Bloom bent over Harry's trunk, but almost immediately stood up once more, her hand clenched on her wand. She had sensed rather than heard it:

Someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind them.

Harry squinted at the black alleyway.

If only it would move, then she'd know whether it was just a stray cat or — something else.

"Lumos," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. Harry held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Bloom saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.

Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter.

"Harry!"

There was a deafening BANG, and Harry and Bloom threw up their hands to shield their eyes against a sudden blinding light…

With a yell, Harry rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying.

Bloom looked up to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve—"

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground.

Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, Bloom saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than Harry was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.

"Fell over," said Harry.

"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed.

Bloom was still staring at the ally, where the dog once was. For some reason, she wanted to go up to it. She want to pet the dog, even if it was bigger than her, she knew that it wouldn't hurt her.

But why?

"Bloom," Harry whispered, "let's get on the bus and don't give him your real name."

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry

"Lily Granger"

"So — so this bus," he went on quickly, "did you say it goes anywhere?"

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater.

"Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

Harry and Stan then lifted their trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.

"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed.

"Take'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry was flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling himself up, Harry reached for Bloom who had fallen over the bed.

"You okay?"

"I think I'm going to lose my lunch." She placed a hand on her mouth.

"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"

"Ar," said Ernie.

"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.

"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

As Harry talked to Stan, Bloom thought back to the dog.

That dog was from a dream of hers, it felt so familiar. If she could only reach out to him, she knew it was a male dog. It just made sense to her.

And then –

"That man!" Harry said, Bloom jumped as she jumped out of her thoughts. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?"

_Sirius Black_

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville."

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

BLACK STILL AT LARGE

Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.

"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"

While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry and Bloom read.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at them.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"What, Voldemort?" said Harry

Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.

Bloom was tossed to the floor

"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily, as he helped Bloom up once again. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"

"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say… anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" — Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again — "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over. Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way."

'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"What?" said Bloom.

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you… after what he did…"

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

Bloom began to think about Sirius Black, he didn't seem evil to her.

She couldn't understand it and it was driving her crazy. And that dog, why was the dog from her dreams in that alley.

Did it mean something? She was so deep in thought she didn't notice when Harry led her out of the Knight Bus. She didn't even notice she was being led to the Minister's office until he talked to her.

"Bloom, are you alright?"

"Huh?" she looked up, "Oh I – um – sorry I'm just tired, I must have zoned out. Sorry."

"It's alright my dear. You and your brother may go now."

Bloom and Harry got a room with two beds. Hedwig was still them now. Everything felt better now expect that Sirius Black and the dog roamed her mind as she fell asleep.

* * *

**There you go people. Please review! **

**And thank my Beta: Mira S.S.S.B**


	30. Owls

**Hello everyone,**

**My mother just had an operation and I'm taking care of her. The chapters might come a bit slower now. I will continue to write some in advance whenever I can, but I won't update as soon I finish it.**

**Please Review**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

* * *

**Owls**

* * *

Bloom woke up to the sound of pecking on her bed. She groaned, hoping Harry would make it stop.

"Bloom," she heard Harry groan, "Check what it is."

"You do it." She yawned back

"It's on your side…"

Bloom groan and sat up, "Lazy git" she whispered. She opened her eyes to see a Black owl staring at her with deep grey eyes. "Umm… Hello?"

The owl lifted its leg up; Bloom saw a letter tied to it. Carefully she untied it, the owl then flew next to Hedwig, who was glaring at it, as if to say 'I dare you to come closer'. Bloom smiled at the sight. She looked back to the letter and froze.

It was from Terry.

Bloom quickly looked back at Harry, to make sure he was still asleep.

He was.

Bloom quietly opened and began to read it.

_Bloom,_

_Is it true you blew up your Aunt? Are you insane! You're lucky that you weren't arrested!_

_But knowing you, something must have happened to make you lose control like that._

_So my question is what happened? _

_Right now I'm in Russia; seeing all the sights in Saints Petersburg, It's a beautiful place._

_When we get back to Hogwarts I'll show you the pictures I took of there. When we entered_

_The palace, I thought of you. I knew you would have my head if I didn't get pictures of it._

_Oh! Before I forget, you never told me how you got so hurt last year. I went to visit you._

_You looked so hurt; at first I thought you were… never mind. You owe me an explanation._

_You never did tell me – by the well, don't do anything like that again. When it was announced_

_That you and Granger were attacked the whole school screamed. I don't think anyone saw it coming_

_Sorry I didn't get to talk to you at the end of the term. Harry was really protective of you after that._

_He wouldn't leave you alone. _

_Answer whenever you can_

_Yours Truly_

_Terry._

Bloom silently laughed as she read the letter. She never realized that she scared the whole school when she got attacked. She shivered at the thought. She could still remember the pain she was in. She had never felt anything like it before and hoped to never feel it again.

She got off the bed quietly and pulled out a quill and parchment and began to write back.

_Terry,_

_I rather not say what my Aunt – no by blood, thank god – did to Harry and me. At least not in an owl,_

_Trust me, if she had said what she said to us to you, you would have cursed her to new heights._

_I know I have to explain to you what happened last year but – I rather say in person. I can not tell you_

_What attacked us, I promised the Headmaster. Sorry _

_Right now Harry and I left our relatives, we're fine now. We got a roof over our heads and money._

_Harry's waking up, I'll see you_

_Lots of Love_

_Bloom_

_Ps: That's how I always sign my letters, so get used to it. _

Bloom quickly got up and tied the letter to the black owl, as soon as it flew out the window Harry got up yawning. "What time is it?"

"A little pass eight. I don't think we have ever slept that long during the summer." Bloom answered as she climbed onto his bed. "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm not sure… but first we'll get something to eat… and then…."

"And then we're going shopping for our supplies and new clothes."

"New clothes?" Harry asked raising his eyebrow

"Yes, clothes. You know the things we wear." Bloom smiled

"I know what they are. I'm asking why?"

"We need new clothes plus new uniforms, we both grew. I grew an inch and yes that does count!" she added when she saw Harry's sly smile. "you grew about two inches… or three… no fair."

Harry just laughed as she pouted at him.

* * *

"Can we please leave now?" Bloom asked as they walked around Muggle London. Both of them had at least four bags filled with clothing. For all seasons and her feet were killing her.

"I'm almost done. I just need to get my running shoes for Quidditch."

"Don't we get those back in Diagon Ally?"

"Yeah… well let's head back then."

"Finally"

They had been shopping all day, they got rid of their old clothes though Bloom kept hers in the back of the trunk. Bloom was happy that Harry finally had clothes that fit him well. She couldn't believe he was a teenager now; she had one more year to go. Maybe she'll grow like he did.

Around three o'clock, Harry and Bloom headed to the ice cream place: Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Harry and Bloom sat down and ate some ice cream which Mr. Florean gave them for free, even though they wanted to pay. Harry worked on his History of Magic, which Mr. Florean helped him with.

After that they went to Harry's favorite shop; Quality Quidditch Supplies

"Just come out — prototype —" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"

A large witch in front of Harry and Bloom moved, and she was able to read the sign next to the broom:

**** THE FIREBOLT ****

**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. **

**PRICE ON REQUEST.**

Bloom peeked to look at Harry; he was pretty much drooling at the sight of it. Bloom giggled. She wanted it too but that broom cost way too much. Maybe once it goes a bit down she'll get one for him. Harry deserved nice things.

Even though they didn't buy it, they returned every day to look at it.

As they days went by Harry and Bloom bought all their school supplies and School uniform – which Harry had out grown by several inches. A fact he really liked.

"I still don't understand why Hagrid sent us a book on Monsters… I mean." Bloom started," you don't think he's hiding one again, do you?"

Harry winced, "I hope not, Fluffy and that evil blind spider were enough for me."

When they got back to their room at the end of the day there were three owls plus waiting for them.

"What the – ?"

Hedwig had a letter from Hermione addressed to both of them, Errol had a letter from Ron and Ginny the last one was new. A small brown owl, its letter was addressed to Bloom.

She opened Ginny's first. It was short and to the point.

_Dear Bloom,_

_Dad just told us that you and Harry blew up your aunt; I have one thing to say about that. Good going! That was so funny!_

_The twins, Ron and I laughed so hard when Dad told us. Percy thought otherwise but who cares. We just got back from_

_Africa, it was so cool. The pyramids were so amazing though my mom didn't let me go in the last one. No fair._

_We're going to Diagon Ally tomorrow. Please tell me you can make it._

_I'll show you the pictures we took when I see you_

_Love Ginny_

Bloom placed it aside and opened the new letter. It was from Abe Redfern – a boy she knew even before Hogwarts.

_Dear Bloom,_

_The other night I was laying down on my backyard. It was so nice, I stared at the night sky when I see a fat floating woman_

_Over me._

_I saw her face, it was your Aunt Marge._

_As she floated off I stared at her then laughed. I knew you had something to do with it. now please tell me. I was going to go_

_To you house but I knew your Uncle wouldn't let me. Tell me what happened._

_Abe._

Bloom smiled and laughed at his reactions when he saw her Aunt fly by. Bloom quickly replied and jumped onto Harry's bed. "So, what did they say?"

"Hermione lectured me about blowing up Aunt Marge, Ron thought it was great. You?"

"Ginny loved it, so did Abe. He saw her fly over his house that night. He loved it." Bloom answered as she curled up on his bed. "Harry?"

"yeah?"

"What did you think about that dog we saw the other night?"

Harry stared at her for a bit, "I don't know… I saw that dog on the cover of a book – it didn't look so good." He sighed, "why?"

"No reason… I wanted to pet it. But I knew you'll have my head before that happens."

"Right you are. Let's go to bed… the Weasley are coming tomorrow – hey!"

Bloom managed to fall asleep on his bed.

* * *

As the days slipped by, plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry and Bloom met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; they also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. Harry didn't want to stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother.

On the last day they heard someone shout

"Harry! Bloom! Over here"

They turned to see Hermione and Ron by the ice cream parlor.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"

"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

"Where's Ginny?" Bloom asked

"With Mum, I think they said something about uniforms."

"I'll go and – " but she was cut off by Harry, "Oh no you don't. Last time you went off you almost got killed. Nope, you're staying with me until they show up."

"It happened one time, let it go Harry."

"No."

Bloom sat down on the chair, "git"

"I've still got ten Galleons," Hermione said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book?" said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol —"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er —" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers.

The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Hermione and Bloom giggled as Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

""NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed.

The girls stared after them, "Well," Bloom started, "so much for not letting go out of his sight."

Hermione turned back to the witch, "Excuse me but may I buy that cat."

Bloom stared at her like she was crazy. She turned around to look around; she walked to the cat section. There were so many, different sizes and color. But there was one that caught her eye.

It was the smallest kitten there; its fur was midnight blue and it had big black eyes. Its paws were light – they looked like mittens. Bloom picked it up, automatically it purred and rubbed it's head on her cheek.

"May I buy this one?" Bloom asked the witch

She smiled, "Of course…"

Hermione and Bloom quickly paid and went off to meet Harry and Ron. "What are you going to name it?" Hermione asked

"I think I'm going to name it…" the kitten was still purring and rubbing it's head on her cheek, "Jiji."

"Jiji? That's a cute name."

"Cute name for a cute kitten." Bloom giggled.

* * *

"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

As they argued Harry turned to Bloom with a raised eyebrow.

"I bought him, his name is Jiji. Isn't he cute?" Bloom asked as she pet Jiji's head. "He's so cute and lovable! I just had to get him."

"Yeah, cute." Harry tickled Jiji's belly.

They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Harry! Bloom!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping.

Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and Bloom saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at her.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" she asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."

At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

"Bloom!" Ginny shouted and ran to her.

"Is that a new kitten?"

"Yup, I just got him. Isn't he cute?"

"He's adorable! What's his name?" Ginny asked as she played with his paws.

"Jiji… he looked so lonely, I just had to get him." Bloom explained, "he's so full of energy."

Percy held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."

Ginny and Bloom watched as they giggled

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, who looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.

"Very well, thanks —"

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy —"

"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you —"

Bloom and Ginny started to laugh out loud.

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"The world will end if that ever happens." Bloom whispered to Ginny

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

Ginny and Bloom giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner…"

He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry and Bloom. "But Mum spotted us."

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Bloom and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.

Everyone looked up at him.

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them—"

"— for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor…"

His voice was casual, but Bloom couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.

"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground… You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry and Bloom's.

There was shouting coming from Ron's room, Harry decided to go check it out. While Bloom changed into her loose sweatpants and a T-shirt. She placed Jiji on her bed, Hedwig eyed him as he ran in circles on her bed. Bloom jumped on the bed causing Jiji to go flying in the air then he landed on her pillow. He stood still for a second then –began to run around again. He wanted to do it again.

She lay down on her bed and picked up Jiji. She placed him on her tummy. Jiji circled around three times before laying down and finally falling asleep. After a few minutes Harry came back, he looked a bit pale.

"What's wrong Harry?"

"I just heard something that well, I should be scared. But I'm not… I guess."

"What?"

"Sirius Black is after us."

Bloom blinked twice, "What?"

"I just over heard Mr. Weasley and arguing about telling us; Sirius Black is after us."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah"

"You're not scared?" Harry asked.

"No, I don't know why. But I'm not scared. I just… don't think he would. What would he win if he gets us? I just don't see that point." And I have a feeling he won't hurt us, she silently added.

"If you want to talk about it, tell me. But for now, let's get some sleep." Harry quickly changed and turned off the lights. Bloom kept petting Jiji as she thought about what Harry had just told her. Sirius Black was after them, she's supposed to be scared but she wasn't. She felt something was going to happen this year, something even bigger than last year and even bigger what happened in Harry's first year.

Whatever it was she was going to be by Harry's side.

* * *

**There you go People!**

**Please review.**


	31. Dementors

**My Terms is starting again, I think I might go crazy this term. I might end up losing it. I promise to try to update soon. **

**Let's see how this goes.**

* * *

**The Dementor**

* * *

The next morning Bloom woke up to Harry's voice, "Wake up Bloom! We're going to be late!" he began to shake her hard.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Bloom shouted, "Wait, did you say we're going to be late?"

"Yes!"

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Bloom jumped up, scaring Jiji. "Sorry sweetie," Bloom quickly said, "Harry, where are the clothes I had ready for tomorrow?"

"I don't know… check the restroom." Harry answered as he put his shoes on.

Bloom ran to the restroom and found her clothes. She checked the time; maybe she had time for a short shower. No, she better not risk it. She put on her pearl peach shirt and pair of faded jeans she had just bought.

"Bloom, hurry up!"

Bloom jumped out of the restroom on one foot, as she tried to put the other one. "I'm coming, I'm coming! I got my things packed last night. I just need to get Jiji. Don't forget Hedwig this time!"

He glared at her playfully, "One time let it go!"

Bloom giggled as she picked up her trunk and placed Jiji on her arm. Jiji's paws were leaning on her shoulders as he looked around. His back paws crawled her arm a bit as she walked.

Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable. "The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."

Bloom giggled.

"I've got to tell you something," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

Bloom knew that Harry wanted to tell him about what he overheard.

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow

Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a Love Potion she'd made as a young girl when Bloom came up. "Oh! what? Start over please."

"You see, Bloom." Mrs. Weasley started, "There was a girl that kept messing with my brother. So I gave her a love potion to make her fall in love with the Game-Keeper, the one that was there in my days. He was an awful man but kind when he wanted to be. The potion only lasted a day or so but it taught her not to mess with my brothers."

They all giggled.

"Mrs. Weasley, you're awesome." Bloom laughed.

* * *

All their trunks were down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork, "I'll let you out on the train."

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

"Oh calm down, Ron." Bloom said, "He won't hurt Scabbers… just keep him in the cage."

"But Scabbers was here first."

Bloom and Ginny rolled their eyes, "Fine, take him out. I'm sure Jiji would love have a friend to play with. Jiji's too small to eat Scabbers but he might just hurt him a lot." Bloom picked up Jiji to her face and rubbed noses with the small kitten, "Isn't that right Jiji? You would like to play with the ugly old rat?"

Jiji meowed and eyed Scabbers with a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside. "They're here," he said. "Harry, come on." Mr. Weasley marched Harry and Bloom across the short stretch of pavement towards the first of the two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard, wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, kids," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street. Bloom had the feeling he was looking for signs of Sirius Black

Harry and Bloom got into the back of the car, and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. Bloom didn't have anything against Percy but she wanted Ginny to sit with them.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared to Bloom's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Bloom noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed.

They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats to Mr. Weasley and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving queue for the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow and Bloom's hand all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry and Bloom."

Mr. Weasley strolled towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Bloom's trolley – as Harry pushed his – and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry and Bloom, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry – grabbing Bloom's hand – Imitated him.

Next moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind them. They were panting, and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again.

Bloom covered her mouth with her hand to stop her from laughing, from the corner of her eye she saw Ginny catch Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.

Maybe there was hope for Ginny and Harry after all, Bloom thought with a smile.

Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, passed packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks into it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks and Jiji in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, Bloom and finally, Harry. She kept a hold on Bloom and Harry, "Promise me you two will be careful and don't do anything dangerous."

"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley." Bloom started, "Trouble usually finds Harry, I promise to stay away from him." Bloom smiled

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny Bloom," Harry glared at her, "I am not letting out of my sight whenever we're not in class."

Bloom sighed, "Just when I think I'm out, he pulls me right back in."

Mrs. Weasley smiled, "Be careful dears." Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron... no, they're not corned beef... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear..."

Bloom saw Mr. Weasley take Harry, probably to warn him. Bloom couldn't understand why _they _couldn't understand that Sirius Black was not after them, but even she didn't understand why she knew that. It just wasn't possible.

After that Bloom got in the train with Ginny. Jiji wiggled around on her shoulder, Bloom looked around for Harry. He still wasn't on the train.

Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move. Just then Harry jumped in and Ron closed the door behind him.

They set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This only had one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. They checked on the threshold.

The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food trolley.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes which had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though he seemed quite young, his light-brown hair was flecked with grey.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed, as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats furthest away from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

Bloom sat across from the professor. She stared at him with wide eyes, she knew him!

He was in so many pictures with her parents, he must have been their friend and when he woke up maybe – just maybe – he would talk to her… she could get a piece of her parents. Something she longed for…for a very long time. She didn't even notice Harry explain to the others about Sirius Black. She only snapped out of it when something licked her cheek, she looked down to see Jiji staring at her. Bloom smiled and petted his head.

"So, Sirius Black is after you?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded, "And Bloom."

Ginny and Hermione gasped.

"Guys don't worry. He's not going to hurt us." Bloom stated.

"Of course he won't." Hermione said, "He can't get into Hogwarts not with Professor Dumbledore there."

"That's not what I meant…" Bloom said softly.

They looked at her weird, like she was crazy. "What do you mean Bloom." Harry asked.

Bloom swallowed, "It's just… I can just tell, you know." Bloom looked out the window, "I can feel it. Sirius Black isn't going to hurt us. I can't explain it, I just know…"

The silence was overwhelming.

"How can you tell Bloom?" Harry asked, "Everyone says he's after us… why do you think we're getting this protection?"

Bloom leaned back, "I just do Harry. Call me crazy but… I'm not scared of Black – in fact I hope… I hope they don't catch him, Here me out!" she quickly added when she saw the shock looks on their faces, "whenever I see his picture, he looks so sad and lost. I just feel like I should help."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"What in the world?"

"How could you think that?"

Harry stared at her, gaping like a fish.

Bloom coughed, "Well – I – I still don't really understand it, but I won't do anything crazy, I promise. I'm just telling you what I felt about this matter."

Everyone seemed to relax a bit after a while. From the corner of her eye Bloom saw the Professor relax before she could voice it though the train was starting to stop. Leaving Bloom confused.

"Brilliant," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving, I want to get to the feast..."

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

The train came to a stop with a jolt and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

"D'you think we've broken down?"

Bloom held onto Jiji tighter. There was a squeaking sound, something wasn't right. The hair on her neck and arm rise up.

There was a squeaking sound, and Bloom saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door suddenly opened.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -"

"Hello, Neville," said Harry.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea! Sit down -"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin had appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. Bloom never saw anyone but her do that before.

They illuminated his tired grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are," he said, in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downwards, and what he saw made his stomach contract.

There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water...

It took Bloom's breathe away. It was horrible.

It was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of the black material.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it was trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

And an intense cold swept over them all.

Bloom gasp as Harry began to shake, "NO!" Bloom pushed Jiji to Ginny then jumped to Harry's side. How did she do it? She had no idea, she just did. She held Harry for just a second when she felt cold then it went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart...

She felt like she was drowning. She gasped – she couldn't breathe, the air wouldn't reach her lungs.

And then, from far away, she heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. She wanted to help whoever it was, she tried to move her arms, but she couldn't...

Just then a white mist surrounded her – giving her the ability to breathe again.

"None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go" Professor Lupin said to the – the thing.

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Bloom heard Hermione say.

Ron was slapping Harry's face.

"W-what?" Harry yelped.

"Are you OK?" asked Ron nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"

Bloom looked down, she heard it too but she couldn't make her voice work.

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

Bloom was still shaking but kept a hold on Harry's arm. Bloom looked up to see Ginny shaking and Neville was so pale.

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help." Then he looked at Bloom, "You need some too." And gave her a bigger piece then Harry.

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. Bloom nibbled at the chocolate.

"What was that thing?" she asked Lupin.

"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everybody else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're OK, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"I don't get it... what happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.

"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around – I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face – and you - you -"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching-"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked towards the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione. "And he said 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned round and sort of glided away..."

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it went when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Bloom felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry? Bloom?"

Bloom nodded, "Yes thank you…" she whispered.

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get out; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat.

It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs'-years this way!" called a familiar voice. Bloom turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All righ', you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at them, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform.

They all followed the rest of the school out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Bloom could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside one and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

As the carriage trundled towards a pair of magnificent wrought-iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Bloom saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. Bloom sank deeper into her seat.

She closed her eyes until Harry guided her out.

* * *

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Bloom followed the crowd towards it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was clack and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potters! Granger! I want to see you both!"

Harry, Bloom and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor house, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern-looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles.

"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasleys."

Ron and Ginny stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry, Bloom and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the Entrance Hall, up the marble staircase and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down.

She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potters."

Bloom felt herself blush, "It's nothing really Professor. We just had a bad encounter with the – the Dementor."

Madam Pomfrey, the matron, came bustling in.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "I don't need anything -"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

Bloom and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing Harry's hair back and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the first one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly then glared at Bloom who was giggling.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absent-mindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Yes, he helped us a lot." Bloom said.

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her timetable, then we can go down to the feast together."

Bloom and Harry stood outside, "What is that about?"

Harry shrugged.

* * *

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting."

New students were sorted into houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the house they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin).

Professor McGonagall strode over towards her empty seat at the staff table, and they set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, towards the Gryffindor table.

Bloom sat next to Ginny, "What happened?"

"Nothing, she just wanted to make sure we were okay."

Bloom looked at Abe – who was sitting near the end. She caught his eye, he mouthed 'explain'.

'Common room' she mouthed back.

He didn't seem to like it but nodded. Bloom looked up to the Ravenclaw table. Terry was looking at her, she felt herself blush a bit at his intense stare. 'Later?' he mouthed to her. Bloom nodded and then looked back at the head table.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other.

Bloom smiled.

"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors."

Percy, who was sitting a few seats along from Bloom, puffed out his chest again and stared round impressively.

Dumbledore paused; he looked very seriously around the Hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. "On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin, who had kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic, applause.

Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Bloom among them.

Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ginny whispered.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, Snape's expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing.

Bloom blinked, why would he hate Professor Lupin?

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, "well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Bloom froze for a second before cheering like everyone else. She couldn't believe it! Hagrid finally got his dream.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have sent us a biting book?"

Professor Dumbledore started speaking again; they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth. "Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink.

After what felt like a really long night the Gryffindors streamed up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided towards their separate staircases. Bloom climbed the spiral stairs with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back.

They reached the familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds. She smiled when she saw Jiji curled up on her pillow. Bloom entered the bathroom to brush her teeth. She quickly changed into her nightgown – a gift from Mrs. Weasley – and climbed into her bed.

"Goodnight Bloom" she heard Ginny say.

Bloom smiled and placed Jiji under her covers, "Goodnight."

Bloom closed her eyes but she didn't fall sleep, at least not yet. Her mind kept working. She thought about Sirius Black, the black dog in the alley, Professor Lupin and the screams she heard. She had to tell Harry that she heard it too.

* * *

The next morning Bloom woke Ginny and ran to the bathroom before anyone could. She took a shower and changed quickly. She got out as soon as she did Ginny got in. "I'll meet you at breakfast."

As soon as Bloom reached the common room Abe popped up. "Bloom!"

"Abe! Don't do that!" Bloom yelled as she tried to calm her beating heart.

"Sorry, you promised to tell me. So spill."

"Okay. Okay … you see it all started when Aunt Marge came for a visit…" as Bloom explained Abe listened carefully. He didn't interrupt but Bloom could see his emotions in his eyes. "Now everyone thinks that Sirius Black is after us, but I know he isn't. Don't ask how I know, I just do."

Abe nodded, "I think you should follow your gut, they never failed you before."

Bloom smiled then surprised him by hugging him – at least she thought she surprised him since he made a weird sound. "Thank you, someone finally understands." She let go and began to walk away. "I'll see you later. I promise to meet Luna, bye!"

She left to find Luna leaving behind a blushing Abe Redfern, but she didn't even notice his blush as she left.

* * *

Bloom walked in a quiet hallway, no one was there. It was so peaceful; she often wondered how the school would be in the summer. Then she heard footsteps running forwards her, she got scared. She did not like things running behind her especially since last year.

She turned sharply to face whoever it was with her wand in her hand.

"Oi! Bloom! It's me!"

Bloom relaxed, "Abe! I don't like it when people sneak behind me, you know that!"

"Sorry, Bloom." Abe rubbed the back of his neck. "I figured since we're going to breakfast that I should go with you."

Bloom stared at him – was he – was he blushing? "Umm… Sure. But what about Alex and Micky, where are they?"

Abe smiled, "They're still getting ready. I had to dump water on them since they wouldn't get up so…"

"Let me guess, you ran for it after that."

"Nooo…" Bloom raised an eyebrow, "Okay maybe."

Bloom laughed and soon Abe laughed with her. As they walked they talked about their old school and their old days. When it was just the two of them, Bloom missed the old days. And she missed Abe. They had different friends here but they still kept in touch, every once in a while both groups got together, just to talk. She got to know his friends pretty well.

"Bloom." Said a voice behind them.

They turned to see Terry Boot.

Terry had grown – just like Harry did. He was at least three inches taller than last year, his dark hair was still shiny but it had very small waves forming. His blue eyes seemed to gain some green in them. He looked older now, not _old, _but older then her.

"Oh, hi Terry." Bloom smiled. Abe just nodded.

"Hello, do you remember what you told me in your letter Bloom?"

Bloom frowned then gasped, "Oh! I'm sorry! I guess I forgot… I can tell you now if you want."

Terry smiled, "I'll like that."

Bloom turned to Abe, "I'll meet you later and can you tell Luna and Ginny I'll see them soon."

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Abe asked eyeing Terry.

"I'm sure. Thank you." She hugged him quickly before walking to Terry's side.

Terry nodded to Abe then nodded to Bloom in a direction.

* * *

**Here you go People. I hope you liked it. Please thank my beta Mira S.S.S.B**


	32. Discussions Part 1

**Okay I'm working on the chapters as fast as I can. I want to get two more done before my term starts again. I will be having two 3hour classes and two 2hr classes. It's going to be hell. I don't even want to think about it I'm scared to the point I want to be sick. This is my relax-ish time… so please don't be too hard on me and wish me luck! Oh I might speed up this year (the book thing) **

**A/N I am no British! So don't hate me for using the wrong words or sayings…**

**Thank You**

**Kisa Black**

* * *

**Discussions**

* * *

Bloom and Terry walked in silence for a bit before Bloom began to explain, "It all started when Harry and I heard a voice…" she started to explain about the voice Harry would hear and sometimes her, she told him that Hermione got an idea so she went with her which lead them to the answers they were looking for. Then she paused when the attack was coming up.

"Bloom," Terry said kindly, "If you can't talk about it I understand."

"It's just – I can't believe I was so stupid. I shouldn't have been behind Hermione and Clearwater… I should have done something." Bloom whispered as she looked down. Then she felt a hand on her left shoulder. She looked up to see Terry's worried and yet understanding expression.

"Bloom, you're a second year. Last year you were a first. You did more than what a six year prefect could… you did a lot, don't bring yourself down." he smiled down at her.

Bloom stared at him for a bit then smiled, "Thank you Terry." She looked back at hallway – images from last year came back to her. "When I saw them – frozen, I knew it was there but I couldn't just leave them. I had to do something so I tried to move them, I turned just for a second and then… it hit me. I never felt anything like It." she shivered at the thought. Terry wrapped an arm around her shoulder, surprisingly it helped. "I remember being tossed off my feet and hitting the wall. My head hit something really sharp… next thing I knew, Professor Snape was there. He was trying to heal me and then nothing… I woke up weeks later that are all I remember." No one but Professor McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore plus the Weasleys knew her part in saving Ginny. But no one else could know.

"You were very brave, Bloom."

"Well I am a Gryffindor." She smiled, "but don't let that fool you, we still get scared."

Terry laughed.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Harry asked when she sat down next to him.

"I was talking with a friend, Harry." Bloom answered, "We lose track of time but I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Here are our classes Bloom" Ginny passed her the parchment.

**Monday**

Potions (first period)

Herbology (second period)

Charms (third period)

Defense Against the Dark Arts (fourth period)

**Tuesday**

Transfiguration (first period)

History of Magic (second period)

**Wednesday**

Double Herbology (first period)

Transfiguration (second period)

Double Potions (third period)

Defense Against the Dark Arts (fourth period)

**Thursday**

Defense Against the Dark Arts (first period)

Charms (second or third period)

Herbology (third period)

Transfiguration (fourth period)

DADA was going to be the last class today, the one class she was hoping to get first was the last one. She wanted to get to know Professor Lupin, she had too. He had answers for her. Harry might have not noticed but she did. He still looked like the boy he once was, she saw the look in his eyes when he saw Harry and her. Hope and deep sadness, she knew he had seen their parents in them but then realized it wasn't Lily and James Potter but Harry and Bloom Potter.

Abe, Ginny and Bloom got to go to their first class. Ginny and Bloom walked behind Abe and Alex. Micky was a third year like Harry.

The dungeons were really cold. Bloom often wore her Weasley jumper under her cloak. The students pilled in and sat in their regular seats and waited for Professor Snape. Professor Snape was a hard teacher, he often scared his students but Bloom was the only one he wasn't rude too or hated for that matter. It shocked everyone even her at first. She never asked why but she really wanted to know.

The dungeon doors opened to reveal Professor Snape. He walked to the front and announced that they were going to make the Confusing Concoction today. The worked in pairs, the lesson went fast for her. Potions was always easy for her, she just liked it and was good at it.

After that they had Herbology, she wasn't that good at it. She didn't understand why, Potions and Herbology came hand in hand. Today's lesson was on Mandrakes. These little plants saved lives last year.

Charms was next after Potions, they were reviewing what they learned last year. Professor Flitwick was the most cheerful professor in the whole school. The first day of Bloom's first year Professor Flitwick cried when he saw her. Every once in a while she would catch him looking at her with a sad smile.

After that was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall the lesson was on vanishing spell. They wrote down the theory and read the chapter after that they practiced on snails. Bloom was able to do it by the end of the lesson. Professor McGonagall awarded her with ten points and a rare smile. As she walked away Bloom heard her whisper, "Just like her father" Bloom stared after her for a few seconds before looking back at her desk with a happy smile and she felt tears in her eyes but did not released.

After class they had lunch, Ginny and her talked about their classes and whatever came to mind. The topic of Sirius Black came up often.

Then finally… finally the class she was waiting for was finally here!

Bloom sat right in the front.

"Why are we sitting in the front?" Ginny asked when Abe sat down behind them.

"Cause I want to sit here."

Abe snorted, "You're hiding something Bloom. What's going on?"

Bloom glared at him, "None of your business and I'm not hiding anything!"

Abe smiled, "Now I know you are hiding something."

Bloom glared more, "Okay! Okay! Enough with the evil eye" Abe said, "God, if looks could kill –"

"You'll be dead." Bloom finished for him.

Alex laughed, "If you want I'll help. He hasn't stopped complaining about Bo –" Abe covered his mouth. Bloom looked at Abe, his face was bright red.

"What's going on?" Bloom asked with narrow eyes.

"Nothing!" Abe shouted causing everyone turned to look at them. Alex was shaking with laughter, Abe just glared at him. "I'm going to kill you. You arse!"

"What's going on?" said a calming voice.

Everyone jumped and turn to look at Professor Lupin – who was leaning on his office door with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing!" Abe shouted with a red face.

Professor Lupin just smiled and walked to the front of the room. "Alright class, I'm Professor Remus J. Lupin. I will be your teacher this year. I was in Hogwarts too; they were the best times of my life. I did fight in the war but I will not be telling you about that. I will teach you as much as I can, from what I can see we're behind. I'm not surprise, you're teacher was Lockhart." He paused and gave an annoyed look, "I never liked him and he was such a pain in school… now today we're going to go over vampires…" Professor Lupin's lesson was so interesting the class seem to last only five minutes. He made class so much fun, it didn't feel like they were learning but they were. He told them that vampires are just like us only they don't use a wand and have to drink blood. He also said that there was nothing wrong with that.

Professor Lupin made them laugh as well, it truly was one of the best lessons they ever had.

When they wrote down the notes on the blackboard, Bloom looked up to the board. From the corner of her eye she saw Professor Lupin looking at her. She smiled as she returned to her notes. Maybe she could talk to him sooner than she thought but first she had to get to know him.

* * *

Bloom met Harry in the common room and asked him about his day.

"Professor Trelawney said I had the grim and that I'm going to die." He told her without looking up from his homework.

"What!"

It took a while for Harry to calm her down. After she smacked him for giving her a heart attack she let him explain. Bloom sat down when she heard a meow. Jiji was slowly jumped down the stairs. The girls that saw all cooed at the sight. When Jiji got to the last step, he looked around when he spotted Bloom, he meowed a cheer and ran to her. Bloom laughed and picked him up.

Harry told her what happened with Malfoy, she called him a prat.

"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," said Harry suddenly.

Ron looked at his watch. "If we hurried, we could go down and see him, it's still quite early..."

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly.

"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," Harry said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors here, has he?"

"I'll tell Ginny that I'm going too," Bloom started. "I want Hagrid to meet Jiji."

The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."

Hagrid was sitting in his shirt-sleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap.

One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.

"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognised them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who on'y lasted a day before."

"You haven't been sacked, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy..."

"How is he?" said Ron, as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony... covered in bandages... moanin'..."

"He's faking it," said Harry at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for what it's worth."

"Wimp," Bloom said firmly. "Harry and I have had worse and look at us!"

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later... done Flobberworms or summat...jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson... 's all my fault ..."

"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.

Hermione and Bloom were smart enough to avoid it.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.

"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs.

Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione steadily outside. They heard a loud splash.

"What's he done?" said Harry nervously, as Hermione came back with the empty tankard.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.

Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"Tha's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really-"

He stopped dead, staring at Harry and Bloom as though he'd only just realized they was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! BLOOM! AN' YOU TWO! LETTIN' THEM!"

Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. He put an arm around Bloom and pulled her along.

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"

As they walked back, Bloom remembered she hadn't introduced Jiji, well better late than never.

"Hagrid, this is Jiji. My baby kitten, I just got him."

Hagrid stared at Jiji, "I haven't seen a cat like that – in years might be magical… watch im'"

"I will, Jiji does seem kind of special."

* * *

"Is it true Neville?" Bloom asked him one day in the library, "I heard that you faced a Boggart! And you won! I'm so proud of you!" she hugged him with all her might.

"There's not much to say… the boggart came out, it turned into Snape. I caste the spell and Snape's clothes became my gran's clothes."

The girls started to laugh, "Oh Neville, he's going to be so mad at you!"

"I know I'm so doomed."

"I can try to talk to him if you want."

"Do you think it'll help?" Neville asked.

"I can try." Bloom checked the time, "I have to go guys, tell Harry that I have to go talk to Professor McGonagall. Bye."

Bloom got all her things and walked as fast as she could to the Professor McGonagall's room. As she got closer she heard something move, automatically she took out her wand. Whatever it was, it was getting closer to her. She walked faster, she used all her senses. She felt her heart beat faster. All she had to do was reach the next corridor and she'll be safe.

She looked back and stopped walking.

Her feet were frozen.

Her heart seemed to stop and yet beat like there was no tomorrow.

Her blood ran cold.

Tears ran down faster and faster down her face.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't breathe.

She opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't. The words wouldn't come out.

"… Da –Daddy?"

* * *

"Da – daddy? Is that – is that really you?" Bloom asked; her heart was breaking as she gasped out the words.

James Potter stared at her with – her eyes. Bloom stepped closer to her father, "Stop!"

Bloom stopped walking at the tone in his voice, "D – da – daddy?"

"You are not my daughter."

"What?"

"My daughter wouldn't have caused my death! You killed me and your mother! If you haven't been born we would still be alive and with Harry! It's your entire fault! YOU KILLED YOUR OWN FAMILY! EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT!"

Bloom felt like her dad was stabbing her repeatedly; her tears seemed to go faster. Breathing seemed impossible for her. Her own father blamed her, her own father hated her! Bloom just stood there as she cried. She closed her eyes for a moment, when she hoped them her father was gone, instead standing before her was her mother.

Lily Potter.

Her mother was crying.

"Mum?" Bloom whispered, but it sounded broken.

"Why did you have to be born?" her mother said miserably, "We were better off without you, we were happier. You shouldn't have been born."

"Pl – please m-mum d-don't sa-say th-that… pl – please m – um."

"I never loved you. James never loved you. You were a mistake. You weren't supposed to be born."

"STOP IT PLEASE!" Bloom fell on all fours.

"I hate you."

"STOP!" Bloom shouted, "MUM DON'T HATE ME! DADDY, PLEASE DON'T! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" Bloom sank even deeper. She was broken, she was crushed. She felt dead as her silent tears ran down her face. She wanted to die; maybe it would have been better if she hadn't been born.

Then she heard running again. But she didn't care; she wanted the pain to stop.

"Bloom!" someone shouted or a group shouted Bloom wasn't sure. She heard gasps behind her; someone said her mother's name. The silence was deathly then 'riddikulus' was cried out. After a moment she felt strong arms pick her up, her grip tighten on the person's shirt.

"Bloom, what happened?" said a familiar voice, she knew that voice. It was Professor Lupin.

"D – dad a – and Mu –mum th – they ha – hate me… they told me… they – they wished I wasn't born… they – they …" she let out a gasp of pain. She kept taking in deep breaths – has if she couldn't breathe, which in fact, she couldn't – that seemed to release her tears. Her face was flushed from the lack of oxygen. She crushed her face into Professor Lupin's robes.

Professor Lupin held her tightly and rocked her a bit like she was a small child. He whispered to her kind words that she couldn't program in her current state. The other professors seemed to stare at them in sadness. They never knew that this would be Bloom's biggest fear.

To be hated by her parents.

The parents she never got to know.

Her cries seemed to echo through the corridors until she passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

**Sorry that it's soo short! I really really am. I wrote more but My beta and I felt we needed to end it with a cliff hanger. I promise to update soon… if I get some reviews.**


	33. Discussion Part 2

**Sorry it's extremely short but like I said before this section "Discussions" is in parts. **

**I promise when I get 4 to 5 reviews to this chapter I'll put the next part on.**

**A/N I am not British please don't hate me for it.**

**Kisa Black**

* * *

**Discussions Part 2**

* * *

Remus Lupin held onto Bloom as both of them cried. When he saw her on the floor crying and then he saw Lily, he froze then he realized it was a boggart. Seeing Lily again was a blessing but a curse as well. Now he held Bloom and rocked her like he used to when she was a new born. Bloom gasped in pain as her tears travelled down her face, Remus didn't even notice he was crying until he saw his tears drop on her hair. Bloom's grip tighten, it pained him to see her like that. She was such a happy baby, even as a new born she barely cried.

She was James and Lily's little Angel. And so was Harry.

He cared for them like they were his.

It would be the closes he could ever get to have a child. It was like a dream come true.

But like all dreams they had to end.

James and Lily were gone, betrayed by their brother.

Peter was killed by their brother.

Harry and Bloom taken from him.

And he was alone.

Sometimes he would try to visit them but Dumbledore always stopped him. Seeing them in the train brought back so many memories and feelings he had long buried. He knew they wouldn't remember him but he had hoped. During the train ride he had felt her eyes – so much like James – staring at him with Lily's face. Maybe that was why Snape liked her.

Bloom reminded him so much of Lily and James. So did Harry.

It was amazing to see them again and yet extremely painful not to hold them like he used too. It was painful not to talk to them; it was painful to be away from his only family.

Bloom passed out in his arms moments later. And yet he kept his hold on her.

Severus walked towards Remus; he looked ready to wrestle her out of Remus' arms and said, "I'll take her to the Hospital Wing."

"No," Remus said quickly; he tightens his hold on Bloom, "She is my niece. I'll take her. It's only right."

Severus glared at him, "Do you really think it's safe for her to be near a werewolf."

"Snape!"

"Severus!"

But his words did not faze Remus; Bloom was James and Lily's daughter. Remus knew that Bloom wouldn't care because Bloom was a great person, though Remus didn't know her, he knew that she was.

Remus just stared at the dark eyes that were glaring at him, "Do you really think she'll choose you over me? Me, who was there when she was born, I was there when Lily told us she was pregnant again, you weren't. I was there through Lily's pregnancy. I helped James when Lily needed anything. I was there when Lily and James found out that they were having a girl. I was there when her water broke. I was there when Lily was in labor. I was there when Bloom was born. I was there when Bloom first cried out. I was there when she was named. I got to hold her after James and Lily; they told me that they wanted me – a werewolf – to be her godfather. But because of the law it couldn't happen. They put me as her guardian in their Will if anything were to happen to them. The only reason they are not living with me now is because of the blood wards, if I wasn't for that! They would know what I am to them." he paused for a second, trying to calm down. He began to walk away but then stopped and looked over his shoulder to say one final thing, "Do you really think she would care about you if she ever found out what you called Lily or how you tried to curse James? How do you think she would react if she found out that you used to be a Death Eater, a follower of the man that killed her parents? I won't ever tell her. But you never know. She is James and Lily's daughter… she might find out someday on her own." And with that he walked away with Bloom in his arms. He felt the other professors' gaze on his back but he kept moving.

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**I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! **

**Please don't hate me. I promise to update as soon as I get 4 – 5 reviews. **


	34. Discussions Part 3

**I'm so sorry if it's too short! I promise to try my best on the next chapter. Though it might take a bit longer than this chapter… maybe it'll be up online between Friday – Sunday**

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**Discussion Part 3**

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_Bloom… Bloom… Bloom… Bloom… the voice repeated over and over again._

'_Hestia?'_

'_Yes, my little flower, it is I. '_

'_You come up with the weirdest nicknames.' Bloom laughed_

'_It's a habit Small One. How are you feeling?'_

_Bloom stayed silent for a while, 'Like I was stabbed repeatedly.' _

'_It wasn't real my dear. It was a boggart. It showed you your biggest fear. To be hated by your parents.'_

'_It still hurts so much… I thought I was going to die, Hestia.'_

_Bloom felt warm wings around her, keeping her safe and warm. 'I know I felt your pain. But know this; your parents love you very very much. If they hadn't you wouldn't be alive. You will know soon my dear.'_

'_Thank you'_

'_You are welcome, now awake. There is someone waiting for you.'_

'_Who?'_

'_You will see. My Bloom.'_

* * *

When Bloom woke up she saw white at first, she looked around and realized she was in the Hospital Wing, again. She sighed, why did she always end up here?

"You're finally awake."

Bloom jumped and turned to see Professor Lupin sitting next to her, "Pro-professor? I – I umm… I'm lost."

Professor Lupin chuckled, "I understand, you went through quite a lot an hour ago."

"I was – I was going to Professor McGonagall's office when –" she gasped as tears filled her eyes.

"Bloom what you saw was a boggart, it showed you your biggest fear." Professor Lupin paused for a second like he was trying to rethink something, "Bloom, I need you to listen to me. I knew your parents…."

Bloom stared at him for a minute with a blank face until she smiled sadly, "I know." Professor Lupin' looked taken back, "I recognized you from the pictures I have of them. I recognized you the first time I saw you. But I – I thought I should stay quiet. I didn't even tell Harry in case I was wrong. But I'm glad I wasn't…"

They talked for a long time; they began to learn about each other slowly. She was yet not ready to learn about her parents. The wounds the boggart caused her were still there. But knowing that Professor Lupin said that her parents did, for the first time that year Bloom felt relief and blessed. She had someone to talk to about her parents; she has an adult to talk to. Sure, she talked to Professor Snape but this – this was different.

This felt right

There was a bubbling feeling in her chest.

She felt like – like she was finally going to have a real guardian.

A real parent

Someone that really cared about _her_, not _The_ _Bloom Potter_

Just Bloom

She wasn't just any other student – she was special to him, just like he was to her.

This was right

And maybe soon Harry would join them

After Professor Lupin left Bloom leaned back on her bed, not a moment later, Harry opened the door. "Bloom!" his face was beyond fear. He looked so pale and scared; Bloom couldn't remember the last time she saw him like that. "Professor Lupin just told me what happened! Are you okay?" he asked or more like yelled.

Madam Poppy came out of her office, "Mr. Potter this is the Hospital Wing, keep your voice down! Your sister is fine; she just needs a lot of rest."

"Sorry." Harry then turned to Bloom, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay Harry, really." Bloom smiled at her big brother, she knew that now Harry really wasn't going to let her go off on her own.

"Do you have any idea how scared I was when Professor Lupin told me what happened? I felt like I was – like – well I was scared." Harry was shaking; Bloom knew that Harry knew what the Boggart turned into. Harry held onto her hand. Bloom felt his hold tighten each passing second.

He stayed with her until Madam Poppy kicked him out.

During the night, Bloom heard a little jiggle. She opened to see Jiji on her stomach. How in the world did he get there? And where did he get that bell? Bloom sat up and played with him a bit. Jiji then yawned, climbed next to Bloom and buried himself in her covers. Bloom giggled at the sight.

The next morning Bloom was released, with Jiji in her arms she walked outside for a bit of air. She just even a few minutes to clear her mind. She walked around the grounds not really playing attention to anything. Jiji jumped out of her arms and ran.

"Jiji! Come back!" Bloom ran after him. After a minute or two she lost sight of him. "Jiji, where are you Sweetie?" she looked around listening for his bell. Then finally she heard it to her right. She followed the sound until she saw him.

Jiji was purring and rubbing himself on a big black dog's front leg.

It was the same dog from the alley.

The dog looked up at her and froze.

Bloom swallowed, "Hello, please don't eat my kitten."

The dog just stared at her with wide eyes – which freaked her out a bit. She slowly got closer to him. If Jiji liked him and the dog hadn't attack either of them, Bloom was sure he wouldn't hurt her.

Bloom reached her hand to touch the dog's head. Since he didn't snap at her, she began to scratch his left ear. "You scared me at first but you're a real softy aren't you?" The dog's tongue hanged out. Bloom giggled at the sight. Then she heard the dog's stomach rumble. "Oh you're hungry… hold on. Poppy – the nurse – gave me a lot of food but I couldn't really eat much of it." Bloom pulled out a bag from her cloak; it was filled with chicken, bacon and a bit of sausage. She opened the bag and started to feed the poor dog.

And for some old reason she began to talk to him. She told him a bit about herself and her brother. She told him about her classes and friends. She didn't know why she was telling this to a dog but it felt right. She just needed to talk and not be told what to do. She played with the dog for a while – she thanked God it was Saturday. "You know, I just can't go on calling you the dog… how about I give you a name, is that alright?"

The dog actually nodded, surprising Bloom.

"Oh wow… you're really smart aren't you?" the dog nodded again, "Okay, how about I call you… Gray? No no… how about… Paddy." Bloom said when she looked at his paws. The dog jumped up and down, "I guess that's a yes." Bloom giggled, "Oh no, Harry's going to kill me, I have to go I promise I'll come back later!"

* * *

Everyday Bloom and Jiji visited Paddy and brought him food – when Harry wasn't looking – she always met Paddy near the forest, since in case anyone saw them. She didn't want someone to take him away from her, since dogs weren't allowed. Finally it was Halloween, Harry was making her go. No matter what she told him he would not let her be alone, Halloween was always dangerous for them and emotional for Bloom.

Bloom knew that whatever was going to happen this year was going to start that night.

Since Harry couldn't go to Hogsmeade, he decided that he would spend time with Bloom. Just them – like in the old days

They climbed a staircase and were walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry? Bloom?"

They looked back to see Professor Lupin coming out, "What are you doing?"

"The others went to Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice, "So Bloom and I are hanging out."

Bloom snorted, "More like he's being an over – protective brother again…" Bloom sighed.

"It's Halloween," Harry explained. "Something always happens to us on Halloween."

Professor Lupin chuckled, "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" asked Harry and Bloom.

They followed Professor Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water, a sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"Water demon," said Professor Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Professor Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"All right," said Harry awkwardly.

"Yes please" Bloom said politely.

Professor Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Professor Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harry looked at him. Professor Lupin's eyes were twinkling. Bloom was giggling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Professor Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

"I don't think I will be taking that class. She doesn't seem very nice." Bloom stated.

Professor Lupin laughed.

"Anything worrying you, Harry?" said Professor Lupin

"No," Harry lied.

Bloom rolled her eyes, Harry was a bad liar. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Professor Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"

Bloom winced at the mention of the Boggart.

"Yes," said Professor Lupin slowly. He gave Bloom an understanding look then turning back to Harry.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.

Professor Lupin and Bloom raised their eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

Harry looked taken aback.

"Why?" he said again.

"Well," said Professor Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Bloom and Harry were both taken back this time. Not only did Professor Lupin answer truelly but he also said Voldemort's name, without flinching, trembling or wincing. The only person they knew – besides themselves – that said the name was Professor Dumbledore.

Bloom smiled, she really liked Professor Lupin. He truly was something else.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Professor Lupin, still frowning at Harry.

"But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I — I remembered those Dementors."

Bloom winced; she did not like those Dementors one bit.

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well… I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry. So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Professor Lupin shrewdly.

"Well… yeah," said Harry. He suddenly looked a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors —"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Professor Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of them, his black eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry, Bloom and Professor Lupin.

"I was just showing Harry my Grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, Yes, I will," said Professor Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldron full," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," said Snape, he gave Bloom a warning look. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

"What was that?" Bloom asked.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why —?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Professor Lupin took another sip, Bloom saw Harry bite down on his lip.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.

"Really?" said Professor Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.

"Some people reckon —" Harry hesitated and then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

"Harry," Bloom narrowed her eyes at him, "Professor Snape is not going to poison Professor Lupin. For the last time, Professor Snape is a good guy. And if he's making this potion just for Professor Lupin – that means he must care or Professor Dumbledore is making him. Either way, he's not going to hurt anyone…"

"That's what you know." muttered Harry.

Professor Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, Bloom, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."

* * *

Seeing as the day wasn't over and Harry wasn't going to let her go, she decided to just go along with it. She sat with him in the common room, waiting for Ron and Hermione to come back. Maybe that will keep him busy.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

"I'll take that!" Bloom said grabbing the biggest chocolate she could find.

By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places.

"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —"

"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in…"

He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Oh not you too Ron," Bloom rolled her eyes, "Professor Snape is a good guy! He's not going to hurt Professor Lupin! Hermione tell them!"

Hermione checked her watch.

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes." They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he — you know —" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry and Bloom. You know how he is – "Bloom gave her a look to stop talking. Hermione was the only one that knew Bloom and Professor Snape's relationship.

"At least you agree with me, Hermione." Bloom said.

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything.

Bloom kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Bloom moved her eyes along the table, to the place where Professor Snape sat. Was she imagining it, or were Professor Snape's eyes flickering toward Professor Lupin more often than was natural?

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

After the feast they followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Bloom got on her tip toes but still couldn't see.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —" And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

"I don't know." Bloom answered. Ron got a hold of Ginny's hand while Harry put an arm around Bloom, pulling her closer to him.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, Bloom and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Harry's free arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Professor Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him. But then Professor Lupin made a turn towards Bloom and Harry. He stood next to them, Bloom saw Professor Dumbledore giving him a nod, as if saying good stay there.

"We need to find her," said Professor Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Professor Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Professor Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Professor Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professor-head," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Professor Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

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**I'm so sorry it's so short! I really really am! This is the last part of discussions I promise!**

**plz review and thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	35. Haunting Dreams

**So I hope you guys liked the last chapter, I did my best I swear! We're going to be in the hundreds soon! I hope to get 100 reviews before chapter 36. In total reviews! Not 100 for just chapter 36! **

**Please let anyone or everyone know about this story! Please, my dream is to make this story in the top Harry Potter stories. The beginning is always slow but now things are speeding up. Teenage years are coming soon.**

**Thank you for your reviews; if I could I would kiss you all!**

* * *

**Haunting Dreams**

* * *

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…"

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said, not once did he let go of Ginny's hand; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

Professor Lupin told them to sleep in one of the corners; it could be the safest spot for them.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

"I don't think that's it…" Bloom whispered as she looked around the Great Hall.

Everyone's eyes turned to her – asking her to explain

"Don't you realize that he went to the tower this night from all nights _because _no one was there? He doesn't want to hurt anyone. If he did he would have gone any day or night, there are just some things that don't add up… maybe – just maybe we're wrong about Black."

"Maybe he was waiting for us to get there?" Ron said

Hermione shuddered.

Bloom stood up, "I'm going to look for Luna and I don't want her to be alone." She left before Harry could stop her

All around her, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.

"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

Luna was walking towards Bloom with her sleeping bag under her arm. "Hello Bloom."

Bloom had to smile, "Hi Luna, come on lets go to the others. I'm sure Harry hasn't freaked out yet."

Luna giggled as they walked back, "He is a bit protective isn't he?"

"A bit?" Bloom snorted, "If he keeps at it I'll end up cursing him to the next life!"

As soon as they got back the boys – big brothers – forced all the girls to sleep together while they – the boys including the twins – surrounded them. The girls argued; claiming that it was the dumbest thing they were heard. Hermione told them that it would be impossible for them to surround them since they weren't long enough to cover them. Which made Harry and Ron run up Abe and his friends; now Bloom, Ginny, Luna and Hermione were in the center of a circle – the circle being Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Mickey, Alex and Abe.

"What's next? You're going to get Terry?" Bloom asked sarcastically as she climbed into her sleeping bag.

Harry and Abe glared at her, "What?" she asked.

The twins were sniggering as they watch the scene unfold. For some unknown reason their stare made Bloom really nervous, she felt her face heat up she was about to tell them to stop it when –

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, Bloom felt as though she were sleeping outdoors in a light wind.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Bloom watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from them, Bloom quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."

Bloom heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Professor Snape. Bloom kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched…"

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Professor Snape.

Bloom raised her head very slightly off her arms to free her other ear.

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Professor Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.

"It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Professor Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."

Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.

* * *

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony.

Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"

Bloom and Ginny giggled, Seamus Finnigan always seemed to break the tension with his outbursts.

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."

Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Bloom's worries. Both her and Harry were now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with them, and Percy Weasley (acting, Bloom suspected, on his mother's orders) was tailing them everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog.

To cap it all, Professor McGonagall called Bloom and Harry to her office.

"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potters," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black —"

"I know he's after us," said Bloom wearily.

"I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic." Harry said

Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback.

She stared at them for a moment or two and then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter —"

"What?"

"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Harry, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"

Professor McGonagall considered him intently. Bloom knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested him as Seeker in the first Place. They waited, holding their breath.

"Hmm…"Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well… goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last… but all the same, Potter… I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."

Bloom and Harry relaxed, Bloom needed Harry to play Quidditch; it was the only thing that made him feel normal. Plus it gave her time to talk with Professor Snape without Harry's knowledge.

* * *

When Bloom went to her next DADA class, she couldn't wait for class but to her surprise. Professor Lupin wasn't there instead it was Professor Snape. She sat down in her regular sit but the class wasn't the same. The class was usually warm and exciting now it felt cold. There was laughter outside but as soon as they got inside and saw Professor Snape they stood still then quickly ran to their desk. Ginny sat next to Bloom like normal but even she was nervous.

"Lupin is hardly overtaxing you all — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss — werewolves," said Professor Snape.

"Turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Professor Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; "Anyone?" Snape said

Bloom raised her hand, Professor Snape nodded at her. "A werewolf is a human being who, upon the complete rising of the full moon, turns into a fearsome and deadly near-wolf. This condition is caused by infection with lycanthropy, usually occurring when a human is bitten by a transformed werewolf. With each full moon the person transforms and no longer remembers who he or she is, and would kill even their best friend given the opportunity. There is no known cure for either the bite of a werewolf in his wolf-form or the bite of a werewolf in his human form. A wolf is a lot smaller than a werewolf – a wolf does not attack unless Angier or hungry…"

Professor Snape nodded again, "At least someone read their book – werewolves are dangerous and dark creatures. They will not stop and think about attacking you, if you are not prepared to kill you will end up dead – "

"Why kill?" Bloom was the only one daring enough to ask

"You will not stand a chance against it otherwise, they are not like us. They will kill you at any moment –"

"They're still human!" Bloom said loudly, she couldn't believe what her favorite professor was telling them, he was telling them to kill. "They just have a – a little problem, it's not their fault that they were bitten."

"Once they have been bitten, they are NOT human." Professor Snape seemed to want to shout at her but didn't dare to do so, it confused Bloom even more. The classmates were watching them like a tennis match.

"They are!" Bloom said stubbornly, "They are victims and shouldn't be treated as anything less, they are people too!"

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning.

Bloom refused to talk to Snape. Ginny, Abe and Alex were all trying to cheer her up. She couldn't stand how SNAPE – not Professor Snape, he did not have her respect right now – talked about werewolves, there was nothing wrong with werewolves, nothing at all! She glared at everything that came closed to her. She even bit her lip until she tasted blood.

Then she thought about Professor Lupin, he got sick so easily. Maybe she could check up on him – Bloom blushed, Okay maybe checking on him would be kind of dumb. People would think something else – even if he was a part of her family. Maybe she should just ask Professor McGonagall?

* * *

The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. Bloom knew better than to think the match would be canceled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. Nevertheless, she was starting to feel very apprehensive. Harry had pointed out Cedric Diggory to her in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth year and a lot bigger than Harry. And he was really handsome and tall – his looks would remind you of some kind of model.

"He's cute." Bloom said out loud

"He's too old for you!" Harry quickly said

Bloom rolled her eyes, "I'm just stating a fact, you dolt!" then with a sly smile, Bloom decided to tease Harry a bit, "Though if he asked me out I'll probably say yes."

"Bloom!"

Bloom laughed as Harry began to lecture her

* * *

"Mount your brooms." Yelled Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — they were off.

Bloom couldn't make out who was who. The rain was so awful, it was like the biggest waterfall – everything was covered in rain and mud. _Hestia can't you help me? I can't see Harry._

_Feel the warmth in your eyes_

"Can you see anything?" Luna asked Bloom. They were standing together with Ginny and the others next to them. Luna had a huge umbrella with a lion chasing a snake around the umbrella. At the end it would chase the snake and eat it. Ginny loved it!

The game seemed to go on to no end.

And then –

Bloom knew something was going to happen

Something bad

To Harry

Bloom jumped and ran out of the stands, ignored the shouts behind her. Harry. She had to get to Harry. She had to help him. Something was going to get him – she just knew it. She ran down the stands. When she got to the field she heard everyone scream.

She looked up and saw it – Harry was falling down to the earth at top speed without his broom

"_**No**_!" Bloom ran out to the spot he would land – he seemed to be slowing down and then she saw it – dementors were still flying towards him. He hit the ground the same time she got there. She stepped in front of him and threw her arms wide, as if this would help, as if in shielding him from the dementors.  
"Not Harry!" Bloom shouted she felt a body shield come out of her and then it appeared – it blocked several dementors but one. The cold hit her hard – she stopped breathing.

And then she heard it again… Someone was screaming, screaming inside her head… a woman… _and she could see it!_

_Lily Potter – her mother – dropped her children into the crib behind her and threw her arms wide, as if this would help, as if in shielding them from the sight she hoped to be chosen instead..._

_"Not Harry, not Bloom, please not them!"_

_"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now."_

_"Not my children, please no, take me, kill me instead —"_

Then Bloom knew no more.

She fell to the ground as a storm of silver came towards her. She fell on her side, one arm spread on the ground then other lay on her ribcage – her hand dangling down. Her hair covered her face.

* * *

"When will she wake up?" someone asked

"In a few hours Harry – Bloom – she was trying to shield you from the dementors. She used herself as a shield to protect you Harry! A shield appeared but one got her – sh – she screamed." A different sad voice said, "I never heard a scream like that. It- it sounded like she was dying! It was awful!"

"But how did she get to me so fast?"

"Bloom ran out before you fell, I think she felt something wrong and ran out and then … you fell. I don't know how she knew it would happen. It just – I don't know what to say."

It was quiet for a while Bloom decided to try to talk, "Arry?"

"_Bloom_?" Harry's voice yelled in her ear, "How are you feeling? Ron, get the nurse!"

Bloom opened her eyes and looked around. Harry, Ron, Hermione; who was silently crying and the Quidditch team was there plus Ginny and Luna who looked blood shoot. Abe was staring at her with his eyes filled with fear and relief.

"What happened?" she asked.

Everyone stared at her then looked down.

"Can you guys leave us? I'll tell her…" Harry said, everyone nodded and without a word they left.

"Bloom, what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Just then Madam Poppy came out of her office with a ball of chocolate. As soon as she left Harry went on Lecture Mode.

"Harry, did you hear anything when you – when you passed out?" Bloom asked as she looked at him with fear.

Harry paled so fast it scared Bloom. He stared at her with wide eyes. Then after a few minutes he spoke, "I – I he-heard – I heard Mum…"

Bloom's tears raced down her face, "Ha-harry, I heard it and – and I s – saw it! I saw him k – kill Mum!"

Harry threw himself to her and hugged her tightly. Bloom cried as Harry held her and she knew he was also crying. Bloom held onto him with all her might now more than ever she needed him. She needed to cry until she couldn't cry anymore – she needed her family, they needed their family.

Harry and Bloom did not notice Snape standing behind a curtain behind them.

* * *

**Here you guys go! I hope you like it! Please review! I'm sorry if it's short! Please thank my beta: Mira SSSB**

_Beta Note: read and review my story please... I'm lonely_


	36. Finding Yourself

**Hello Everyone! **

**I hope you like the last chapter! I just finished my first week of the term and let me say this… I'm about to scream to high heaven. And now I'm arguing with my sister… Your reviews might stop me from smacking her to the next plane. God! If this chapter sucks blame her!**

**I am not British**

**QUESTION****! When you think of Bloom what song comes to your head? **

**I think of "Suddenly" by Ashley Tisdale. Tell me what you song you think of, maybe I'll put it in the story.**

* * *

**Finding Yourself**

* * *

Harry and Bloom slept on the same bed during their stay in the Hospital Wing. Now more than ever, they needed each other. As they slept lone tears would slide slowly down their faces companied by the usually sniff from Bloom. Madam Poppy gave them chocolate and chanted a warming charm on them. No matter what they did, Bloom would wake up screaming.

The nightmares were killing her.

She had to watch her mother be murdered each time she closed her eyes.

She saw her beautiful mother try to protect them from death.

Bloom's nightmare got so bad that sometimes she couldn't wake up. She would scratch her face – as in trying to get the nightmare away from her. But it was no use.

Someone had to wake her up by force. She would try not to cry bit it was impossible.

No one should watch and hear their mother be murdered in front of them.

In a way she was jealous of Harry.

He only heard their mother.

Bloom saw the fear in her mother's face.

One night she let Harry sleep, she had pretended to be asleep so he would sleep. She curled next to him – she did not want to sleep.

Bloom thought about what happened during the game. She shivered at the thought; she never wanted to go thru that again. She looked around the room and sat up. She couldn't stay still, she had to move around. She slowly got off the bed and walked to Poppy's office and knocked.

"Miss. Potter, what is it?" Poppy asked.

"I can't sleep, is it okay if I walk outside a bit…? I just can't breathe here."

Poppy gave her a stern look, "Very well, just one hour. If you are not back by then I will go get you."

"Thank you."

Bloom walked around the ground closes to the castle; she did not want to get near the dementors any time soon. She sat down on the cool grass, it felt nice. She stared at the moon. She opened her mouth:

_Promise that we'll stay for the sunset,_

_And when the moon shines through the darkness,_

_We can find the path that leads us home,_

_And on the way you'll..._

_...maybe..._

_...sing me a song._

Bloom felt her eyes begin to tear up but she held them back, she had to be strong. Like her parents. Like her mother.

_Promise that you always will be there,_

_Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared,_

_Help me stand up tall if I fall down,_

_Make me laugh away all my bluest days!_

_How could you promise you always would be there?_

_Why'd you have to go away somewhere?_

She gasped as her song – the song she made for her parents – came out of her. It felt like most of her feelings were in this one song. Her tears seemed to get stronger and heavier in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at her knees as she tried to hold the tears in.

_Every morning into every night,_

_Do you watch over me like the sun in the sky?_

_Am I all alone, or standing in your light?_

_I wish that I could..._

_...maybe..._

_...sing you a song..._

_...tonight._

She looked back at the moon – the moon and stars always made her smile and feel warm, she finally let the tears run down. She normally didn't cry unless she couldn't help it and this was one of those times.

_You promised me we'd stay for the sunset..._

She let out a cry and buried her face in her knees. She wanted her parents; she wanted her mother and father. She wanted a parent's love – her parent's love. Was that too much to ask? Why couldn't she know what a parent's love felt like? Why did they have to be killed? And leave her and Harry alone.

She heard a whine over her and looked up

Paddy was staring at her with a sad gaze. He poked her with his nose on her arm, as if saying "What's wrong?"

"Hi Paddy." She whispered

Bloom rubbed her tears away, Paddy licked her cheek making her giggled. "Sorry Paddy, I'm just not feeling good… you see Harry and I were attacked by dementors…" she told him everything from the feeling she had before the attack to waking up because of nightmares. Paddy placed his head on her lap – he winced like he understood what she was telling him.

Surprisingly talking to Paddy made her feel better.

She didn't feel like she was drowning anymore – she felt like a weight was pushed off his shoulders.

* * *

Bloom lay back on her bed. Ginny and the others came to visit her. Ginny and Luna stayed with her the longest. They tried to distract her about the game – they talked about class and how Abe wanted to visit her but he had detention for jinxing Malfoy. Malfoy was laughing about the attacking and said something – Ginny or Luna would tell her what he had said.

"Abe gave him boils… and then Terry appeared! He was walking by when Malfoy said something about you! He cursed him so bad! I don't think he'll be able to have kids any time soon."

The girls giggled. Bloom was surprised that both Abe and Terry cursed Malfoy for her and Harry. She was secretly pleased.

Pleased by Abe or Terry or even both she didn't know.

Harry and Bloom returned to class the next day. They both ignored the stares and whispers that followed them around the castle. The twins made a point that anymore that questioned either Bloom or Harry would get pranked so bad they would flinch at _their _name, instead of Voldemort.

The twins took it as their duty to make Bloom laugh as much as they could. When they had visited her during her stay in the Hospital Wing when she was asleep – she scared them when she started to scream in her sleep. They quickly woke her up before Harry got off her bed or Madam Poppy sat up. When she woke up, she held onto Fred and he held onto her until she fell asleep again.

During Potions, the last class of the day. Snape – yes she was still mad at him – was acting weird. No one could tell but she could, he seemed shaken to the core of his soul. He was paler than usual and less mean to the other students. When he thought she wasn't lookinghe would look at her with a heartbroken look in his eyes, it bugged her because she wanted to talk to him again but she did not like how he talked about supposed dark creatures.

Bloom believed there was good in everyone but Voldemort and his followers.

When the bell rang everyone got out quickly, expect for Bloom and Ginny. "Potter, stay behind." Snape said behind them.

Both of them looked back, Ginny looked towards Bloom as if asking her what to do. Bloom gave her a small nod. Ginny felt uneasy but did what Bloom said. But she would wait for her outside, just in case.

"Is there something you need, _Professor_?" Bloom asked

Snape stared at her with a blank look. They stared at each other for a moment; Bloom didn't want to act like this towards him. He was the first adult that respected her and treated her like an equal. He was kind to her and showed emotion only to her. It made her feel special but now she felt hurt by his words. She knew that he could see her pain in her eyes.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked softly.

"A bit… it's a – healing in process." She answered him.

"I see," he whispered, "if you need to talk… I am here."

Bloom smiled, this was a close as she was going to get to an apology, so she should just take it. "I will… thank you." And with that she left with a less burden on her shoulders.

* * *

Bloom walked around the castle, she had told the others that she wanted to be alone to think. They accepted it without question; they knew she had a lot going on at the moment. She walked in a daze, not paying attention to where she was going. Where could she go? Not to Professor Snape, at least not now. She thought about going to the twins but they'll probably think that she's over thinking things. Abe wouldn't understand. The girls would want her to talk but even they didn't know what she saw and heard when the Dementors attack. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them – it just wasn't something she wanted to talk about. Terry would listen to her and 'counselor' her in a way. Harry would go overload – well even more than now.

"Bloom."

Bloom turned around and saw someone that made her smile.

Professor Lupin.

"Hello Professor."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to walk around and just not worry about anything… I guess I didn't do a good job at it."

Professor Lupin chuckled, "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please."

They walked into his office and sat in a comfortable silence until the tea was ready. "How are you? I heard about the attack, I wasn't there. I was ill but when I heard I came to visit you, though both of you were sleeping at the time. Well each time I went."

Bloom smiled, "Sorry, I was so tired. I have no idea how that shield pops out. I'm trying to learn, I research in the library but there's not much on element powers. But I do know it's tied to my emotions." She paused, "professor, why are the dementors – why did they attack Harry?"

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair; they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling; every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you and Harry is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You and Harry have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they come near me – I hear – I hear…" Bloom swallowed, "I hear and see Voldemort killing my mum."

She heard him gasp, "No wonder you passed out…" he whispered.

"Back in the train… you made that dementor disappear – can you teach Harry how to protect himself?" she asked him. More like plead.

"Only Harry?"

"I read on that spell, I am not yet ready for it but Harry is. He has to be able to protect himself… he hears mum's voice. I'm the only one that sees and hears it. I don't want him to see – to see _that. _Can you please help him?"

Professor Lupin smiled kindly at her, "You are so much like your mother; she couldn't stand to see her love ones in pain. She always put others before herself. Just like your father."

* * *

"The twins gave you a map? Of the whole castle? And it shows everyone? Where did they get that?" Bloom asked Harry a few days later. Harry was acting weird and seemed to force himself to keep calm.

"Yeah it's called the marauder's map. Here I'll show you." Harry pulled out a piece of parchment. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that Harry's wand had touched.

They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

**Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present**

**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing.  
"Wow…"

"Bloom, I have to tell you something that I learned today…"  
"What's wrong Harry?"

"I went to the village –"

"You went? Where you caught? What happened? Why did you do that? The dementors could have gotten you, you idiot!"

"Can you just listen to me?" Harry shouted, shocking Bloom. He never yelled at her – not like this anyways. Bloom nodded still in shock, she listened as he told her what he overheard. Sirius Black used to be their father's best friend. Their father picked him as his best man when he married their mother. He was also Harry's Godfather – Bloom couldn't believe it. Was this why she felt something towards him?

"Secret – keeper?" Bloom asked, "He was our secret – keeper and told Voldemort where to find us?" Bloom got up and walked around, "No, that's not possible. It's a lie! No, he wouldn't do that. They're lying!"

"Why would they lie about something like this?" Harry shouted making Bloom flinch; they were currently in Harry's dorm. "He betrayed them! Us! How could you defend him? It's his fault that we don't have parents! It's his fault that you see our mother's murder! You're supposed to hate him Bloom!"

Bloom stood her ground, "That's just it Harry!" Bloom walked to his dresser and pulled out the album of their parents, she flipped thru it until she found the picture she was looking for. "Look at this picture! Look at his face! His eyes! He loves our parents! He wouldn't betray them!"

"They saw him kill thirteen muggles! _Bloom_!" Harry yelled, "Peter Pettigrew went after him and Black killed him! How is Black the victim here?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Bloom yelled even louder than Harry, "I just know that this isn't right! There's something we don't know! No matter what they say I won't stop believing in him! Because I know him, we know him! Our parents believed in him…" she took a deep breath, "and that's enough for me!"

* * *

**That's it for now Folks, please let me know what you think about it. and thank my beta mira ssssb**


	37. Looking and Seeing Are Different Things

**Hello everyone,**

**I hope you liked the last chapter, I'm sorry that nothing **_**that**_** big happened. I kept changing things over and over again. I'm trying to make this chapter longer than the last. I'm starting to get writer's block – the story used to just flow out but now it's a blank. I have no idea what I was going to do for this chapter. I hope it's not too bad.**

**(A/N) **_**I am not British.**_

* * *

**LOOKING & SEEING ARE DIFFERENT THINGS**

* * *

Harry and Bloom didn't talk to each other in days making everyone worry about them. Ginny told Hermione that Bloom cried herself to sleep every night since the day of the fight. Hermione let Bloom know that Harry was taking lessons with Professor Lupin; he wasn't doing as well as he had hoped. Hermione thought it was because of their fight.

Why was it so hard for everyone to take her word on the Sirius Black matter? Even when winter vacation arrived, Harry wouldn't stay in the same room as Bloom. He felt like she had betrayed him and their parents. Luna stayed with her during breaks when Ginny tried to 'talk' – more like yell – at Harry until he stopped acting like a git to Bloom. Micky even tried to talk to Harry but it was no use. He hugged her when he failed to knock some sense into Harry; he was a good guy to her. Even though they weren't best friends, he treated her nice.

Everyone in the castle noticed the tension between the Potters. Once again, Bloom found herself ignoring the stares and whispers. Professors Lupin and Snape both tried to talk to her but she wouldn't tell them what happened. She knew Professor Snape was going to be extremely cruel towards Harry, she asked him politely not to bother him – that Harry was going thru something as well as her. She knew it might not stop him but she had to ask.

That Christmas Eve night was the first she didn't sleep next to Harry. Every year they would sleep next to each other – it was a tradition that had made- their tradition. But now that had ended. Bloom didn't even dare to ask Harry for a pause on their fight. Harry was really stubborn – sometimes more than her. When she woke upon Christmas Day, she same a small pill of gifts – none were from Harry. That alone brought tears to her eyes.

This year was awful for her.

She was either hurt or crying this whole year

She rather go back to last year – back when she was in death's door rather than be alone – without her brother beside her. Without her brother's love or care for her. Why couldn't she just make him understand about Sirius Black? She always trusted him when he felt something was wrong, so why couldn't he trust her? That's all she wanted – his trust and belief in her. Bloom knew she had a gift with people – she knew when someone wasn't trust worthy or true to her. She didn't trust it completely though, it could be a fatal mistake – she knew that much.

She slowly opened her gifts without feelings. Mrs. Weasley sent her a pearl white jumper with a blooming lily right on her heart. Ginny got her a book on jinx and curses she could use on people that bothered her a lot. Ron and the twins gave her something from Zonkos; fireworks, candy and a few dung bombs. Hermione got her a homework planner, new quills and extra self – correcting ink. It wasn't that she didn't like her gifts; she just wasn't in the mood.

"Happy Christmas Bloom," Ginny said carefully – she knew that Bloom wouldn't be in the mood to be happy.

"Happy Christmas Ginny…" Bloom whispered then she looked up, "You know what? Let Harry be a prat towards me, I have had it!" she jumped out of her bed and looked for some extra clothes, "I'm not going to let it bother me or stop me from living my life, no matter how much it hurts!" she pulled off her pjs and changed into a pair of dark jeans and a light blue shirt and pulled on her new sweater. She put her hair in a low side ponytail that fell loosely on her front side as Ginny got ready. Jiji jumped off her be and jumped down the steps like a toddler, Bloom didn't worry about it – Jiji always ran around the tower and played with Crookshanks or Paddy.

They walked towards the Great Hall as they talked. Luna went home for Christmas, Bloom and Hermione and the Weaselys were the only one that stayed that year from their house. When they got to the table she looked at the teachers – who were sitting in their usually seat then she noticed that Professor Lupin wasn't there.

"Professor Dumbledore, where's Professor Lupin?" she asked, she felt everyone's – even Professor Snape – eyes on her. The attention caused her to blush.

"He got sick last night and is resting, not to worry he will be fine soon enough. Professor Snape made him a healing potion; he'll be up and about soon my dear." His eyes were twinkling more than normal.

Ginny and Bloom ate silently and then Harry and the others got there, instantly the temperature seemed to drop. Harry sat as far was he could from her, Bloom saw all the professors watching them like a tennis match but Bloom ignored it all. She talked to Ron and Hermione and Ginny normally, Harry did too they just didn't talk to each other. Not even a 'pass the salt' comment. Nothing at all – from the corner of her eyes she saw that Professor Dumbledore looked really sad at them. Hermione told her about Buckbeck's trial and process. Bloom felt useless in the matter – all she could do was to be there for Hagrid whenever she could.

Bloom and Ginny walked away when a Professor she had never talked to her entered, she reminded Bloom of some bug. They walked to the grounds – Bloom hid a big bag of chicken, bacon, sausage and bowl, filled with water and covered with a top. "Ginny, I want you to meet someone."

"Who?"

Bloom smiled, "Paddy! Come here boy!"

"Who are you calling?"

Just then they heard a bark and a big shaggy dog running towards them, Bloom couldn't help but smile. Paddy ran up to her as she sat down on the ground, "Easy boy," she said as she scratched his left ear. "You don't miss me, you miss the food."

Ginny giggled as she sat next to Bloom.

"Ginny, this is Paddy. Paddy this is Ginny, my best friend."

Paddy climbed on Ginny and gave her a head bump, "Easy there Paddy, you're heavy."

Paddy looked insulted causing Ginny and Bloom to giggle.

Ginny helped Bloom feed Paddy, just then Crookshanks and Jiji came running towards them and pounced on Paddy. Paddy didn't seem to notice, he was too busy eating. Bloom had never seen not one but two cats practically in love with a dog. As soon as Paddy finished eating he started to play with the cats. Who knew how long they stayed there – a few minutes or an hour or two. When they got back they saw Hermione in tears in front of Ron. She got up and ran upstairs.

"Ron!" Bloom shouted, "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing!" Ron shouted back, "She's the one that told McGonagall about the Firebolt."

"Firebolt? What Firebolt?"

"Harry got one for Christmas but it came without a note, Hermione thought Sirius Black sent it to Harry, like he could even walk in a store to buy it!"

"That's no reason to yell at her!" Ginny yelled at her brother.

Both of them ran up the stairs to Hermione's room. When they opened the door they heard Hermione sniff. Bloom sat on Hermione's bed and hugged her, "It's okay, Hermione. Everything will be alright."

* * *

The rest of the holidays Hermione, Ginny and Bloom spent it together. Harry and Ron made no intention to talk to either of them, Bloom tried her best not to yell at Harry but she knew it would only make matters worse for them. Bloom knew that once Harry got his Firebolt back he would forgive Hermione but not her. She knew that Harry felt betrayed and alone.

One night the girls were sitting together and doing their homework when Harry came in holding his Firebolt, Bloom knew he was about to forgive Hermione.

After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was passed around and admired from every angle, Harry and Ron approached their table and at last, Hermione looked up.

"I got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.

"Well — there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"

"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."

"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "I don't get why he Scabbers, I've found him many times in my room and the girls' dorm. I'm just glad Bloom got Jiji, keeps that rat out."

At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bed sheet. "LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face. "Ron, what —?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Bloom looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like —

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence.

"HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. They all leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

* * *

It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship.

Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds.

Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.

Bloom didn't know what to think, there could be a chance that Crookshanks ate him but there was not much proof expect for the cat hair.

Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.

"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-color for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly — one swallow — he probably didn't feel a thing."

"Fred!" said Ginny and Bloom indignantly.

"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.

"He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, Harry?"

"Yeah, that's true," said Harry

Bloom rolled her eyes; it was probably the only useful thing that Scabbers ever did. Not that she was going to say that out loud.

"His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"

Bloom and Ginny turned away trying to keep Ron from noticing that they were trying really hard not to laugh

When Harry went to practice Bloom left to talk to Professor Lupin. When she arrived at his door she looked around to check if anyone was watching her. She knocked and entered when she heard a 'come in'.

"Bloom, what a surprise," said Professor Lupin, "come in, come in."

Bloom smiled, "Hello Professor. I just came to ask you if – if Harry is getting any better at the Patronus charm?" she sat down in front of his desk.

Professor Lupin nodded, "He's doing just fine and it is a hard charm to master. There aren't many fully grown wizards that can perform that spell but I believe Harry can."

Bloom nodded, "I know he can do it."

There was a moment of silences, before he spoke again. "Bloom, I know I have asked before but why aren't you two talking?"

Bloom bit the inside of her lower lip and then swallowed, "Harry doesn't trust me." Bloom looked down, "I always believed in him with everyone, even when most of the school thought he was evil – long story – but the one time I ask him to trust me, to hear me out. He completely flips out and well… he thinks I betrayed him in a way. He won't let me explain to him what I feel about the topic. He just ignores me now."

Bloom played with her fingers – it was a nervous habit she couldn't get out of.

"If you don't mind me asking, what topic was it?"

Bloom slowly looked up at him with fearfully eyes, "Promise you won't get mad or upset at me."

He smiled kindly at her – like a father would – at least what she thought a father's smile would look like.

"I promise Bloom."

Bloom swallowed deeply, "Okay, you see – ever since I saw Sirius Black's wanting poster, he looked and felt familiar to me. I couldn't understand why, until Harry came to me. He overheard some people talking about Sirius Black and our – our parents. That he betrayed us." She saw him tense up, he looked like a statue. "Then I remembered why he seemed familiar. I got out the photo album and took out my parent's wedding picture. Sirius Black didn't –he couldn't betray my parents!" she stared desperately at Professor Lupin; who seemed to lose a lot of color. "I saw his eyes. They're not eyes of an evil man because I know what evil looks like. I've seen Voldemort twice, face to face. Here! That this school! His eyes – even now – they don't look evil, they lost sad and lost. I've gone to the library and looked for his trial papers. But there's nothing! There's the Malfoy's, the Crabbes' but not his. They have copy of all trial papers! I'm even writing a letter to Madam Bones to ask her about it. Harry never let me explain to him what I was trying to do, he took everything wrong. I'm just trying to figure out what happened to us. Me, Harry, my parents, you and Sirius Black."

Professor Lupin was quiet for a very long time, Bloom was about tell him that she was going to leave but he spoke, "Bloom, why do – what makes you think that Black – that there's something wrong about the whole situation?"

Bloom looked into his eyes, "I have this feeling in my chest and it hurts at times when I look at his wanting poster. It's like I can't breathe, like I'm drowning. I just need to know all the facts. And finding his trial papers can help me… and Harry and you." She exhaled, "I want to know the truth about all of this. I think we all deserve that."

Professor Lupin seemed to get some color back into his face, "Very well Bloom. I will support you but promise me you won't get your hopes you."

Bloom smile, "I promise."

* * *

Bloom walked to her desk and pulled out her letter to Madam Bones, she reread it to make sure it was a proper letter.

**Dear Madam Bone,**

**I am Bloom Potter. I know that you might be surprised that I am writing to you. You might think there is no real reason to why I am writing to you, but there is. Not long ago, a couple of students were talking about Sirius Black and the Potters. Harry overheard them saying that Sirius Black betrayed our parents and is the reason why we are orphans. **

**I went to the library to look at his trial papers – as you know that library holds copies of the trials. I could not find Sirius Black's trial papers – none at all. I don't know if the library isn't supposed to have them or not. But I beg you, if I have to get on my knees and beg I will. Please let me see those papers, I might be a second year but I am older than most. Not physical but mentally. **

**I have this feeling that – I can't understand about this whole matter.**

**Please help me. You are the only one that can. Right now, Harry isn't speaking to me because I have a feeling about Sirius Black not betraying our parents. I just need to know if he really betrayed them or not.**

**Thank You**

Bloom nodded, yes that should do it.

She ran all the way to the owlary, she ran to Hedwig. "Hedwig, I know that Harry owns you but can you please send this letter for me. It's really important." Hedwig nodded at her, "you have to get it there really fast – this can be the most important letter that you will deliver, Hedwig. It will change not only mine but Harry's life forever. Do you understand?"

Hedwig put her leg out, unbelievable still. Bloom smiled as she tied it on. "Be careful Hedwig." She kissed her forehead and Hedwig flew off.

_Hestia, am I doing the right thing?_

_You are. You are starting your journey my dear. Not only physically but mentally as well, soon I will be training you. As soon as you are ready. I will teach you how to use your powers._

_Thank you Hestia, I don't know what I'll do without you._

* * *

It was the morning of the Gryffindor Versus Ravenclaw game when Madam Bones reply arrived. Bloom was shaking like there was no tomorrow. With shaking hands she opened the letter.

**Miss Potter,**

**I did look for Sirius Black trial papers but found none. I will look for the person responsible for his trial. I believe that just maybe – Sirius Black is innocent. But there is no proof maybe if we find Sirius Black and trialed him.**

**I will contact you when I find something.**

**Madam Bones**

This was it! She was a step closer to finding out the truth about Sirius Black. She had to get this to Professor Lupin and Harry. She ran out the tower, pass Ginny and Luna then pass Abe, Micky and Alex. She even passed Professor Snape on the grounds, he shouted her name out but she didn't stop. She never ran so fast in her life. Not when Piers tried to kiss her, not even when Harry was in danger but it felt close to it. She stopped to look around for Harry or Professor Lupin, her heart was in her throat – beating like she was going to burst.

Finally she saw him – Professor Lupin

He was heading towards the teacher's stands.

She ran again – up the steps – pass Terry; who tried to talk to her. She promised to talk to him later but now she needed to get to Professor Lupin.

She was out of breath by the time she reached the teacher stands.

"Bloom?" she heard Professor Lupin's voice; Bloom had her hands on her knees and kept her head down – trying to catch her breath. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Pro – professor Lu – Lupin, I've got it! I've got proof!" she looked up at him, for the first time this whole year; she had tears in her eyes not from pain but for hope.

"Pr – proof? For Sirius?" he whispered the only one that heard him was Bloom and Professor Dumbledore; who turned to look at them.

Bloom nodded and handed him the letter Madam Bones sent her. He read it slowly, his eyes filled with tears by the end. "H- he n – never got a tr – trial?"

"No."

He turned to Professor Dumbledore and showed him the letter; he read it carefully.

* * *

Sirius could be innocent, Remus thought; this whole time he had left him to rotten but now – now that he knew that he never got a trial. Everything was different, there was a chance and there was hope. But will Sirius ever forgive him? How could he have not believed in Sirius?

Sirius was always there for him

When he was alone, Sirius and James always helped him.

But what about Peter?

There was so much that they still didn't understand and only Sirius had the answers

So why did he still had – hope.

* * *

Bloom sat down with Professor Lupin and held onto his arm. It was like they were each other foundation.

Lee Jordan started his commentary, "They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —"

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"

"Jordan!"

Bloom gave a weak giggle

"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor, was heading for goal…"

Bloom watched as Harry streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold and noticing that Cho Chang was tailing him closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier — she kept cutting across him, forcing him to change direction.

Harry urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts and Cho fell behind. Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild, Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch.

Bloom released the breath she was holding

There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.

Bloom smiled at George's actions

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision — balance is really noticeable in these long —"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead — if Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win. She saw Harry drop lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the field frantically.

Harry accelerated, but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking him — "HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood roared as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

Bloom laughed out loud, even Professor Lupin seemed to smile

Harry dived again, and Cho, thinking he'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow; Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply; Cho hurtled downward; Harry rose fast as a bullet once more.

And then three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at Harry.

"Harry!" Bloom jumped up and raised her hand like she was going to reach for him and then something happen – fire shot out of her hand and flew straight to the Dementors. At the same time, she saw something silver hit the Dementors. The silver had come from Harry's wand. It looked like a stag – a faded stag.

Bloom stood in shock – she looked at her hand as if the fire was still there, when in fact, her hand felt a bit warm. She turned to look at Professor Dumbledore. He was also staring at her – as well as most professors. She sat back down, eyes still wide. "Wha – what just happened?"

"It seems that your abilities are evolving Bloom." Professor Dumbledore said with a hint of surprise in his voice.

After a moment of silences Professor Lupin cleared his voice, "Bloom, let's go show Harry what you found."

"Oh, right!" she jumped to her feet, "I almost forgot about that… with what happened."

* * *

They walked together towards Harry even though it was hard with the amount of people around him.

"That was quite some Patronus," said Professor Lupin

"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they — er — weren't Dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see —"

He led them out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Professor Lupin.

Harry and Bloom stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders.

Bloom was about to shout at them when she saw something that made her smile.

Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.

"An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"

"Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

"Right," said Harry

"Wait Harry." Professor Lupin said quickly before Harry left.

"What is it?"

Without saying anything, Bloom pulled out the letter and handed it to him – arm length away from him.

Harry stared at it for a moment before reaching out to it.

Bloom saw his eyes widen as he read the letter. His mouth opened by the end of it. He looked up at them with a dumbstruck expression. "Th – this is – how is this possible? No trial?"

"It means that there's a chance that Sirius never betrayed us." Professor Lupin said calmly

Harry stared at him, "Us?"

"Harry," Bloom said really lowly, "Professor Lupin, he's our uncle in all but blood. He knew both of our parents and even us when we were younger. He wasn't allowed near us because of the something that Professor Dumbledore won't explain yet. The same with Sirius Black, that's what I have been trying to tell you all this time." She didn't want to fight with him anymore, she was too tired and she felt that this year alone she aged ten years.

He stared at both of them for a couple of times; trying to get an understanding of everything they just told him. He looked down for a minute before looking straight at Bloom, "I've been a prat, haven't I?"

Bloom gave a weak smile, "The biggest."

"Can you –"

But he was cut off by Bloom's hug.

* * *

**Okay, I think I've written enough for this chapter. Please review and thank you. Thank my beta Mira SSSB too.**


	38. Reasons

**Hello everyone,**

**I hope you liked the last chapter; I did the best I could. I hope you guys sent me some good songs. I hope more and more people will find this story and review. I'm just so glad that I reached the hundredth review; I never thought it was possible for me to get so many kind reviews. Thank you so much! I don't know how I can ever replay you guys. T-T Happy tears**

**(A/N) I am not British**

* * *

**Reasons**

* * *

The tension left the castle so fast some people felt dizzy. One moment the Potter siblings were giving each other the cold shoulder the next moment they walk in together smiling into the Gryffindor tower, everyone stared as they talked and laughed. They weren't sure what happened to cause such a change – heck they didn't even know why they weren't talking to each other and now they were both back to normal – like it never happened. After a few moments the party went on.

Ginny and Hermione and to her surprise Luna, ran to them and hugged Bloom. "Luna? How did you get in here?"

"Ginny brought me here; we just changed the color of my robes." Luna smiled, "Have you two made up?"

Bloom nodded, "Yes, he apologized. I would have made him grovel but I just wanted it to end."

"You're a better person than me, Bloom." Ginny said. "I would have made Ron grovel to no end."

"That's because Bloom loves Harry. You just live to bug Ron sometimes." Hermione laughed

"Not just that, I do more than just bug him – I live to bugs all my brothers, you wouldn't believe the dirt I have on them. Mom would go spare!"

The party didn't stop until really late but Bloom didn't stay up for all of it. She was too tired. It was a very long day, new information about Sirius Black, Harry finally trusting her and knowing about Professor Lupin. She finally felt in peace, nothing could hurt her right now –

"AAARRGGHH! NOOO!"

Everyone jumped up.

The shout came from nowhere.

"What's going on?"

"What was that?"

Joanna ran to the door and looked outside, "I don't see anything."

"Wait!" Ginny jumped out of her bed, "that sounded like Ron." She ran out of the dorm. Bloom right behind her.

She could hear Ginny cry out Ron's name.

"Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"

"I'm telling you, I saw him!"

"What's all the noise?"

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"

A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.

"Harry what's going on?" Bloom asked when she reached him but he didn't get a chance to answer her.

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.

"Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

Bloom covered her mouth with her left hand, this couldn't be right.

"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"

"I'm telling you —"

"Now, really, enough's enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw —"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

"You — you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But — but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.

"Oh no." Bloom whispered.

* * *

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night.

They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

Bloom had to figure out why Sirius Black wanted to get in and why Ron's bed and what about the knife? Things weren't adding up. He didn't hurt anyone, he could have easily had but he didn't. That had to count for something – didn't it?

Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry and Bloom, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

Luna had to hold Ginny back every time she tried to smack Ron for being happy that he was 'attacked'. Only Luna seemed able to calm her down – Bloom was too busy staring in disbelief at Ron. Abe and his friends asked Ron frequently, Abe seemed to want to try to figure out why Sirius Black was by Ron's bed and not Harry's. But even he didn't know about Sirius Black trial maybe should she say – no trial.

Neville was in total disgrace.

Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower.

Bloom always waiting for him outside, she felt responsible somehow. She helped him as much as she could. She hanged out with him since he wasn't allowed in Hogsmeade anymore. Then a howler came the next morning – before he could open it, Bloom grabbed it and burned it with her hands, she looked up at everyone who was watching her, "What? I just thought we wanted to eat in peace."

* * *

Hermione seemed to take the news of Sirius Black harder than everyone since she was still fighting with Ron. She was trying to find the best way of apologizing to Ron. But it seemed that Ron was too bust with his newly found attention. Instead now she worked on Buckbeck's case, Bloom, Ginny and Luna all were helping her find something, she may have not said it but Hermione was too overworked – they feared that soon she might snap.

Book after book they looked for something that could help Buckbeck and then Bloom got an idea, "Hermione!"

"What is it Bloom? Did you find something?"

"No but yes." Bloom started, "I mean – what if we show them what happened."

"How will we do that?" Luna asked as she looked up from her book

"A memory! I'll show them a memory! They court can come here and we'll bring the class to them, they can pick whoever they want and they'll see what Malfoy really did. The whole class will be there and many they'll take our wands for precaution so they won't change it."

They stared at her with disbelief then they jumped and hugged her.

"I can't believe I didn't think about that!"

"You're brilliant Bloom!"

"That is simply impressive, Bloom"

"Okay okay, I'm glad you like my idea now how do we get this to work?"

They worked for hours thinking of ways to get the court to come here, even just one member would help them. They decided the Ginny should ask her dad if he knew anyone what would be willing enough to come and get this small issue – which turned big because of a brat – over and done with.

* * *

Hermione and Bloom were walking to the girl's loo when they walked into Harry and Ron. Harry looked upset about something and mad about something else. Ron seemed like he didn't know what to do or think at the moment.

"What happened?" Bloom asked

"Snape is what happened." Harry answered as he glared at the anything but her.

Bloom sighed, "What did he say this time?"

"He keeps insulting Dad; he keeps at it no matter what! So I told him to shut up." Harry said, "To make it worse he tried to destroy the map so I stop him – that made him notice that it was important – he tried to burn it."

"No!"

"Then that map insulted him when he tried to get it to work."

"It – it insulted him?"

"Yeah, it said; _Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business. Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git. Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor. Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball." _They laughed hard while Bloom was trying – failing – not to laugh but it was to funny not too.

Soon they were all laughing and talking to each other again. Hermione told them about Bloom's idea; both of them stared at her in awe, causing her to blush.

* * *

"Bloom! It worked! It worked!"

Bloom slowly opened her eyes and groan. She was so warm and cozy; she really didn't want to get out of bed. She had spent last night studying and didn't get to bed until past midnight. Now here was Hermione jumping on her bed and shouting something she couldn't quite process due to her sleep – state. "Wha – what?"

"Your idea! About the case, Bloom! It worked! Do you know what that means?"

"Her – Hermione, I t – too tired. Sl – slow down."

"Bloom. You're. Plan. Worked."

"What plan?"

"Buckbeck's case!"

"Oh that…" Bloom's eyes were closing and then snapped open and she sat up, "It worked?" she asked wide awake.

"Yes, it did! They said that they'll come in a couple of weeks. Hagrid came by and told me! He really wants to thank you!"

"Oh my god, I didn't think it would work! But it did! Oh my god, what do we do now?" she got out of bed and searched for something to wear. "Do we meet him now or what?"

Hermione smiled, "No, but there is someone that what's to talk to you."

"Who?" Bloom asked as she pulled on her uniform

"Oh no one really," Hermione smiled, "Just Terry Boot."

Bloom slipped as she was putting on her shoe, "Terry? Umm why is he – I mean – he wants to talk to me?" Bloom felt her cheeks heat up.

"Yes, Terry. You know, short wavy hair that curls slightly and bright blue eyes, tall –"

"I know who he is," Bloom said, "I was just wondering why he wants to talk to me."

"I don't know but you should get outside before Harry, he might freak out."

"Okay – okay where is he?" Bloom asked

"Just outside."

Bloom nodded and left her room, trying to ignore the knowing smile Hermione had on her face. Why did that smile bug her? She wasn't sure, it just did. She went down the stairs and checked quickly if Harry was near. The coast was clear – she walked quickly before anyone saw her. She pushed the door open and to face – to – face with Terry Boot.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"Want to walk around?" he asked

"Yes."

The walked down the stairs and to the corridors. "How have you been?"

"Okay, staying away from Dementors." She meant it as a joke – a weak joke but Terry didn't take it that way. He seemed to lose a bit of color. "It's nothing, really. Nothing has happened since then."

Terry stopped walking and turned to look at her with sad eyes, "Bloom, I don't think you know how much that affected me – I mean – everyone." He swallowed, "When we saw Harry fall, I thought that you were going to go crazy. I know how close you two are – I didn't think it could get worse and then – you appeared in the field." He took a deep breath, "You shielded him with your own body and then that shield and – and then you screamed." He stopped talking for a bit like he was trying to find the words he needed, "I never heard anything like that – I thought – I thought you were going to die. It sounded like you were dying. I went to see you at the hospital wing but – but I couldn't. I didn't want to see you so – so gone. I'm sorry."

Bloom blushed, "It's okay Terry." Bloom felt her stomach full of butterflies, "I didn't really know what I was thinking when I did – what I did. I just did it. I felt that I _had_ too, you know. It turned out to be the best choice after a couple of days. But if it makes you feel better, I promise not to get near Dementors again."

Terry smiled as her again. They turned the corner and ran into Hermione.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"I slapped Malfoy." She admitted.

Both Bloom and Terry stared at her then blinked, "What?"

"He was making fun of Hagrid and I just lost it. So I slapped him." Hermione blushed

"Wow"

"Way to go, Granger." Terry laughed, "I didn't know you had it in you."

"It just happened."

* * *

**There you go! i hope you like it. please review and thank my Beta Mira SSSB! **


	39. New Clues and Findings

**Hello everyone,**

**I hope you liked the last chapter. I did the best I could – I swear! I'm always second guessing myself dealing with this. I want the chapter to be great. The next chapters are going to be a bit emotional. Family reunions, past grudges, hurt, and maybe no forgiveness for someone, I'm starting to understand why a lot of authors take a month or more to update – I promised myself I wouldn't be one of them but I'm starting to think that might change. That's why whenever I have free time I write part of the chapters. If you are reading this I'll probably have two more chapters written by now – I hope – I promise to do my best though. **

**If you haven't read ****artist111 **_**return of lily and james potter**_** – you should it's an amazing story! You'll love it!**

* * *

**New Clues and Findings**

* * *

The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.

Bloom laughed whenever Wood talked to Harry. She felt bad for Harry but it was too funny not too.

"So you must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, Haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're —"

"I KNOW, OLIVER!" Harry yelled.

Bloom laughed so much her stomach hurt.

The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ginny's second oldest brother) had been Seeker.

Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.

Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. He couldn't walk to class without Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up; Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw him surrounded by people. Wood had given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere he went, in case the Slytherins tried to put him out of action.

Seeing that they couldn't get to Harry, they tried to get to Bloom. Knowing if she was hurt Harry would stop what he was doing and help her. Wood also ordered that Bloom could not be left alone – at any time. Everyone knew that Bloom was Harry's only weakness and he was hers. Wood now had Bloom staying with them during practices.

The whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for Harry and Bloom to get to classes on time because they were surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd.

Harry was more concerned for his Firebolt's safety than his own. Bloom understood – it was his love of his life. Bloom loved to fly on it – especially when Harry let her fly on her own. When Harry wasn't flying it, he locked it securely in his trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there.

All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.

There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever.

Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were laughing at Fred's and George's jokes.

Bloom and Ginny watched them make a fool of themselves and laughing at the stunts they did. Fred and George had a gift of easing the tension around them – just with a few words or gestures. "I got it!" Fred and George suddenly shouted

"What?"

"_When_ we win tomorrow – "

" – Bloom will have to say that – "

" – We are the greatest and give us a gift!"

"What?" Bloom stood up, "why me?"

Fred and George smiled at her innocently, "Because dear little Potter!" they sat her down then sat on both of her sides, putting their arms around her shoulders. "You're the only one stubborn enough to ignore our brilliance, you won't admit that we are the very best at what we do – "

" – now when we win, all you have to do is – "

" –give us a little kiss – "

"What? No! No way!"

Ginny seemed to be trying not to laugh at her misery. The twins always tried something like this on her. Just because she told them that they weren't the best prankers – a small little joke she and Luna did. But the twins had taken it seriously – now they were trying to get her to say that they are the best and get her to kiss their cheeks – they got that idea from Ginny. She would always kiss their cheeks when she apologized to them. Now they were trying to get her to do it.

"Oh so you know we're going to win?"

"Yes, it would be the only reason why she won't accept the challenge. Right, Fred?"

"Too true. George."

Bloom's lip thinned. They got her and judging by their smiles they knew as well. She tried to look for some way. If she said yes and they won – which she knew they would – she'll have to say that they're great and the best and if she said no, she would be admitting that she knew that they were great and so she wouldn't have to take the bet and kiss them.

They had her cornered.

Harry and Bloom and the rest of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause.

Luna sat with Bloom and Ginny. "What do you think is going to happen?" Luna asked, "Everyone is acting funny."

Ginny giggled, "Well I bet you anything Malfoy is going to be really mad and try something funny again and by funny I mean cheat. Harry will win, he always does."

Bloom smiled, "Why do you think he's going to win, Ginny?"

"Well – he's really good at Quidditch and – and well he's – umm wouldn't want or let Malfoy win."

"Oh, I guess you are right." Luna said simply.

Bloom moved her neck around trying to get it to pop when something caught her eye, "Luna, why are you wearing different shoes?"

"Oh, you see I couldn't find a pair. People have been hiding them from me."

"_What_?" both Ginny and Bloom yelled.

"But not so much now, Terry and his friends stop them."

Bloom blinked twice, "Terry? H – he helped you?"

"Oh yes, I think it is because I am your friend Bloom." She stated simply

"M – my friend – I mean – I know he is my friend. I mean – I'm glad he helped you – it's good that he helped you."

Ginny laughed as Bloom blush, this was pay back for teasing her about Harry.

* * *

Everyone stood on the stands waiting for the game to start. It was nerve wrecking – this was the game of the year. After they lost one game they thought for sure they weren't going to make it to the final. But lady luck struck again and gave them a chance to win.

When the team walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP."

Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —" More boos from the Slytherin crowd. Bloom, however, thought Lee had a point. Malfoy was easily the smallest person on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! – SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight.

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"You know what?" Bloom started, "I might end up kissing Fred" she said in a solemnly tone. She heard those around her laugh.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

"GO ALICIA!"

Flint, still bleeding freely, flies forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.

"'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head.

Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way —"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

The girls laughed at Jordan's commentate.

Harry pulled his Firebolt around and sped off toward the Slytherin end — it worked. Malfoy went haring after him, clearly thinking Harry had seen the Snitch there…

_WHOOSH_.

One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again…

_WHOOSH_.

The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in. Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised — He turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.

"THOSE GITS! THOSE GOOD FOR NOTHING! THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT!" Bloom shouted

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! –"

"Do it! Do it!" Ginny and Bloom chanted

"— it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten and Gryffindor in possession —"

It was turning into the dirtiest game Bloom had ever seen.

Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger.

George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.

"Great now I have to kiss George too." Bloom huffed

Katie scored.

Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

Madam Hooch was beside herself — "YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten.

Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.

"Go Fred! Go Alicia!" Bloom cheered

The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs.

Harry was flying up when Malfoy grabbed onto his broom! Pulling Harry back!

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.

"YOU PRAT! YOU CHEATING GIT!" Ginny and Bloom shouted along with Ron. Hermione and Luna were glaring at Malfoy, as if trying to set him on fire.

Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor…"

Harry was now marking Malfoy so closely their knees kept hitting each other.

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her — Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.

"AAAAAAARRRGH!"

They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty Points to twenty!"

Then Bloom saw Harry and Malfoy shoot towards the ground – she saw it – the Snitch

Harry was gaining on Malfoy — Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him — he was at Malfoy's ankles — he was level — Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and —

"YES!"

Harry pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, the tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.

Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Bloom saw two Fred and George hug them with a hit; then Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.

Bloom ran with Ron and Hermione – she was winning – she just had to hug him right now! They won the Cup! When she reached him she threw herself at him as everyone cheered. "You did it, Harry! You did it!"

Harry hugged her tightly as they jumped up and down. There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; they simply beamed as Harry was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.

As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup, as he lifted it into the air, Bloom felt that Harry finally felt like a normal guy – a normal guy that won the Quidditch Cup for their house in the last seven years.

* * *

The joy of winning the Cup lasted a week maybe more – but now they had to study for finals. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows.

Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels).

Bloom thanked God and Merlin that they had forgotten about the small little bet they had.

Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.

On Monday morning they had their Transfiguration exam, they had to turn a mouse into a dancing cup. Bloom went the extra mile and made the cup look like the Quidditch cup. When they exited some students were trying to figure out what they got. After that was charms, Professor Flitwick had put all the desk away and placed targets around the classroom. He called out one by one. They had to shot bubbles out of their wands and get as many targets as possible – bonus points if you destroyed them. Charms being one of Bloom's strongest subjects, she was excited for it. It was one of the funniest exams she ever had taken. She managed to destroy eight out of ten.

After lunch they had potions. Professor Snape made them brew remember – me potion; a potion that lot of people used to remember things that they really needed, only that it was against school rules and the ingredients were only in Professor Snape's store, no one dared to steal any – no one but Harry, Ron and Hermione. Not that Professor Snape knew that.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning. For Astronomy they had to chart the stars and galaxies – Bloom noticed that Sirius was really bright. History of Magic they had to write as much as they could about King Author and Merlin's deeds and accompanied with their life story. Bloom wrote at least two rolls of parchment until her hand died.

Afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over. Their last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, they had to disarm another student – who Professor Lupin picked – then run up the hill to freeze some pixies but they could only use one spell. Lastly they had to use the spell; Blasting Charm and the Bombarda spell on a wall. Professor Lupin wanted to see how much one can blow up in one go. Bloom really liked those two spells. They were her favorite!

Bloom used the Bombarda spell causing the whole wall to explode. Professor Lupin stared at her in shock – causing her to blush – then smile at her; "Excellent Bloom! Full marks!" Bloom jumped up and down cheering for her grade, she could hear Professor Lupin chuckle at her.

Now finally it was over! Everything was done now; she could finally go to her bed and sleep for a long long time.

The court came into view when she walked inside the castle, along with Harry's whole class. "What's going on?" she asked

"We're going to discuss what happened with Buckbeck." Ron said smiling.

"The whole court, just for a small accident." An old lady that looked a lot like Neville's grandmother; "all this for that Malfoy brat, honestly!" then she turned and looked straight at Bloom. "You're Bloom Potter, oh yes. My grandson has told me a lot about you, I'll like to say good job. You and your brother have more backbone than the whole Ministry put together! You keep at it Potters!" Bloom and Harry blushed deep red.

Half the class seemed to want to laugh but choose not to. "We'll see you later Bloom."

Bloom watched as they left and then waited for Ginny and the others to catch up with her – she had a feeling something was going to happen – and happen soon.

* * *

The next day Bloom wanted to visit Hagrid but Harry wouldn't let her go alone. Harry decided that he would go with her then Ron and Hermione decided to come. Ginny had promised to help Luna with some art project – it was a surprise for Bloom – not that Bloom knew that. Abe and his friends were talking with Fred and George – that was not a good sign; it meant they were up to something. Bloom prayed it didn't involve her.

Bloom, Harry and Ron and Hermione were walking towards Hagrid's hut when Bloom saw something move on the ground – "Ron! It's Scabbers!"

"What?"

"Look there!" Bloom pointed at a lump walking away from the castle. Ron ran up and scooped him up.

"Scabbers! It is you! Where have you been?" Ron said – well more like shouted - "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still – OUCH! He bit me!" Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.

"What's the matter with him?"

But Bloom had just seen – slinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness – Crookshanks.

Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Bloom couldn't tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

The rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. "Ron!" Hermione moaned. As Ron ran after Scabbers, "Ron, come back!" Hermione and Harry ran after Ron with Bloom right behind them – it was getting dark and they could barely see a few feet ahead of them

"Get away from him – get away – Scabbers, come here –"

There was a loud thud.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat –"

Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. Bloom managed to stay on her feet. Ron was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

Before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow – an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog. "Paddy?" Bloom whispered

Bloom saw Harry reached for his wand, but too late – the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth – "Paddy! No!" Bloom shouted.

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll –

"Paddy! Paddy! Stop it!" Bloom shouted trying to reach him

Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry and Bloom so hard across the face they were knocked off their feet again. Bloom heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too. "Lumos!" Bloom hears Harry whisper.

The wandlight showed them the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer. And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backwards into a large gap in the roots – Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight – "Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backwards again.

All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground – but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.

"Harry – we've got to go for help –" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time –"

"Harry – we're never going to get through without help –"

Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles. "If that dog can get in, we can,"

Hermione turned to look at Bloom, "Bloom you called him 'Paddy', do you know that dog?"

"I – I do but he's not acting – he's not himself. I don't know what's wrong."

"We'll worry about that later – and Bloom we will talk about it." Harry stated

Bloom could only nod.

Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.

"How do we get in?" Bloom thought out loud

"Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "Please…"

Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.

Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. "How did he know –?"

"He's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on – and keep your wand out –"

"Don't hurt him Harry, I can try to get control of him but you can't hurt him"

"Fine but if I feel that he's going to attack I will." Bloom swallowed then nodded

They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Harry went next; Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him then finally Bloom. "Where are we?"

"This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him.

"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"

They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt like it went on for miles… but all Bloom could think about was Paddy – he was acting different, strange. There was something wrong with him, whether was going to happen was happening now. But what did Paddy have to do with all of this?

And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Bloom could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.

It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.

The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm, "Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."

Bloom looked around. Her eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.

"Ghosts didn't do that," Harry said slowly.

Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs. They reached the dark landing.

"Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod.

Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.

On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.

They dashed across to him.

"Ron – are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap –"

"What –"

"He's the dog… he's an Animagus."

Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry and Bloom wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.

A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

* * *

**There you go! I hope you enjoyed! I've been looking forward to this chapter and the next one. Please tell me what you think! I did the very best I could! I'm working on the next chapter now. Please thank my Beta Mira SSSB**


	40. At Last

**January 28, 2012**

**Hello everyone**

**This is the chapter I have been waiting for since I began this story! I hope I do it great better than great! I'm really nervous for it! My heart is beating really fast – I just can't wait. Oh I hope I do this chapter its justice! Okay I can do this! Oh can't! No, no I can! Dear God, help me with this chapter.**

**(A/N) I am not British**

* * *

**At Last**

* * *

"Expelliarmus!" Sirius Sirius croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Harry's and Hermione's and Bloom's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Sirius caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry and Bloom.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"

Ron, however, spoke to Sirius.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Something flickered in Sirius's shadowed eyes.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Sirius, and his grin widened.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"

"Stop it right now, Harry!" Bloom shouted, "Just stop – remember what I found out – remember what Madam Bones sent me! We need to find out what really happened, Harry please."

"B – but – I"

"Harry, for the whole year I have talked to him – without knowing it was him! He could have attacked me so easily. But he never did – he never once hurt me and he was there for me when you weren't! Now shut up and listen to all the facts before you judge."

Harry flinched when she reminded him of the time he wasn't there for her and then nodded, they turned back to look back at Sirius Sirius.

Sirius stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.

"I don't deny it," Sirius said, "It is my fault they're gone – it's entirely fault."

And then came a new sound – Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor – someone was moving downstairs.

And then Professor Lupin appeared.

Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice.

"Where is he, Sirius?"

Bloom looked quickly at Professor Lupin. She didn't understand what Professor Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? She turned to look at Sirius again.

Sirius's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron.

"But then…" Professor Lupin muttered, staring at Sirius so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" – Professor Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Sirius, something none of the rest could see, "– unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Professor Lupin's face, Sirius nodded.

"Professor Lupin," Bloom said, "What are you talking about?"

Professor Lupin smiled, "You were right, Bloom." She saw small tears form in his eyes, "you were right."

"I was? But how – I mean – how did you find us?"

"The map," said Professor Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it –"

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously causing Bloom to give him a quick glaring – the glare meant for it to say 'Knock it off'

"Of course I know how to work it," said Professor Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony – that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"You wrote –?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Bloom, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid."

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry –"

"How d'you know about the cloak?" Bloom knew what Harry was thinking, he thought his father hadn't told anyone about it.

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Professor Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. "I watched you cross the grounds and to Hagrid's hut. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Professor Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"Shut up, Harry!" Bloom shouted, "Let him finished!" Bloom was getting really annoyed, she wanted to hear the whole story and a person interrupting something important was one of her biggest pet peeves and Harry knew that. Sensing Bloom's temper reaching a point and the look in her eyes Harry quickly shut up.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Sirius… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow –"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."

He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Professor Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Sirius's leg and made a soft hissing noise.

Professor Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Sirius suddenly.

"What d'you mean – of course he's a rat –"

"No, he's not," said Professor Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Sirius, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

* * *

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Bloom stared at the Scabbers – it made sense. Scabbers was useless, he never did anything and he lived so long, she remembere how Ginny told her that it had lived for a long time. Twelve years now, if Bloom did the math right; the pieces of the puzzle began to click together.

"You're both mental." Bloom heard Ron say, causing her to look up.

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Sirius, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"

And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Sirius lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Sirius's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Professor Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Sirius away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Sirius, trying to throw Professor Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.

"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Professor Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Sirius.

"Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand and Harry — you owe Harry and Bloom the truth, Sirius!"

Sirius stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Sirius said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

"Pa – I mean Sirius." Bloom started, "umm can I – I mean – can I have my wand back? I know Harry would calm down more that way. Plus he'll stop being such a –"

"_Bloom_!"

"I was going to say 'prat'."

Bloom saw Sirius Sirius smile a bit and then gave her back their wands. The tip of their fingers touched making them look up. Bloom smiled at him before turning back to Harry.

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.

"Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."

Bloom had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework even she didn't go that far, when Lupin started to laugh.

"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Sirius Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Professor Lupin, "I only know how it began…"

Professor Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Professor Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing. "No one there…"

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Professor Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way.

"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf." Bloom heard Ron gasp. "None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy… I was a very small boy when I received the bite."

"But that wasn't your fault!" Bloom shouted, "You were just a boy! If you have to blame something blame the werewolf that bite you! No one else!"

Everyone turned to look at her, Sirius Sirius smiled, "You're a lot like your parents Bloom." Bloom blushed.

Professor Lupin smiled at her and then continued, "My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again. "Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. "But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…"

Professor Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" — Professor Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers' frightened squeaking.

"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it… "But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Sirius… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father — James Potter."

Bloom felt tears in her eyes – tears of happiness – and she also felt pride; Pride for her father, proud to be his daughter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth… And they didn't desert me at all."

Both Bloom and Hermione silently cried. But Bloom was also smiling.

"Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"Our dad too?" said Harry, astounded.

"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Sirius Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."

"What sort of animal —?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. "That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"Hermione! If Harry had been bitten and becoming an Animagi and roaming the woods helped him would you do it?" Bloom snapped.

"O – of course I would." Hermione answered a bit shocked that Bloom had snapped at her.

"Then don't lecture them on something you would have done! Or you'll be a hypocrite!"

That shut everyone up. Bloom turned back to Professor Lupin, "You may continue now."

Professor Lupin continued, "I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

Professor Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Sirius harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Professor Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Professor Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"

Sirius made a derisive noise.

"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Professor Lupin said. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field…" Bloom whined, "anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Professor Lupin.

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.

* * *

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Professor Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Professor Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…" Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" Professor Lupin began, but Professor Snape overrode him.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Sirius into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —" "Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf —"

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Professor Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move.

Bloom gasped.

With a roar of rage, Sirius started toward Professor Snape, but Professor Snape pointed his wand straight between Sirius's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

"No!" Bloom yelled and ran up to them; she pushed Sirius behind her and glared at Professor Snape.

"What are you doing Bloom!" he shouted at her, it was the first time he had ever shouted at her.

Bloom spread her arms wide as to shield Sirius from Professor Snape. "I won't let you hurt them! You won't kill them!" she looked straight at his dark eyes and said; "If you want to kill them or hurt them in any way, you have to kill me first!" her words rang throughout the room. Only dead silence was met with it – how could Bloom put her life in the line to protect people she barely knew – true, she knows Professor Lupin but to sacrifice herself for him? And Sirius – She just met him and yet – here she was defending them from one of her favorite professors. "Sirius is the only one that knows the truth about what happened that horrible night! I won't let you take that away from me."

Harry could see the look in her eyes – it was the same look she had whenever someone tried to hurt him or anyone she cared about. Bloom didn't even look scared – she looked mad and yet she was pleading with Snape with her eyes – begging him not to hurt Professor Lupin or Sirius Black. She still didn't know the whole truth – neither did _he_ – but she still was defending them – with her life. Harry knew that she meant it, every word of it. What was he to do? Harry watched as Bloom and Snape stared at each other.

* * *

Snape stared at Bloom; he couldn't believe she was choosing _them_ over _him_. It was like Lily all over again – her face looking at him but with Potter's eyes – taunting him. Even before Lily agreed to date Potter, even before their fall out – Lily always picked _them_ over him and he hated it. She always said that his friends were evil – he had to agree they were but so were Potter and his little gang. Always taunting him! Embarrassing him in front of everyone! In front of Lily! His Lily!

And now here was her daughter; the daughter that was the spitting image of her, even school wise. Everything about her was Lily expect those damn eyes – they had the same shape as Lily's but the wrong color even though they had more green than Potter's had been. He wanted to hate her, to make her feel his pain but – he couldn't. Not when she sounded like Lily, not when she had the same look in her eyes as Lily, not even when she was glaring at him with Lily's face. He couldn't help but care for her – even with Potter's eyes. He also noticed that whenever she planned revenge she had the same gleam in her eyes – just like Potter. But he saw her as a kind, sweet little girl, but she needed protecting.

He just needed to keep her safe – _she_ out of everyone else had to survive this world. This cruel dark world that brought her into his life again, every time he saw her she reminded him of what he had lost – to Potter – to death – to the Dark Lord.

He couldn't help but love her – no; he did not love her like how he loves Lily. But he did love her – when she came into his life, it was like he was alive again – a part of him that had died had returned to him – he felt more alive since October 31, 1981. He promised to protect Lily's children but sometimes he just wanted to hurt Potter, he was just like his father in every way. But he knew – he knew if anything were to happen to Potter, Bloom would be hurt – worse than hurt. He had to protect her – from any kind of pain, of all kinds.

But he had failed her twice or many even more already. Hadn't he? She was attacked by the monster just last year – she almost died in his arms… he had seen Lily right at that moment, it was Lily dying again. They only just saved her – if he had not borrowed that book, if he had not decided to return it – she would have been gone – just like her mother, just like Lily. And then the Dementors happened, they attack Potter and then Bloom appeared. She shielded him with her own body and life, from where he stood, it looked like Lily – his Lily – was protecting Potter Sr. he didn't move, hear or saw anything until a horrible sound rang throughout the world.

She was screaming like she was being murdered – like she was going to die. He reacted just when the Headmaster had – so had the other teachers. And then she fell to the earth, her hair looked like fire. He went to see her – just her and only her when he overheard her talking to Potter. She had heard and _seen_ Lily's final moments – he was so shocked he didn't move or breathe. He didn't want to know that! He didn't want to know what kind of pain she was in – he had failed her again.

And how could he forget when Lupin saved her from the Boggart. Bloom's Boggart was her parents; she feared that they hated her! How could she be so silly? As if anyone could hate her. She cried in Lupin's arms and tightened her grip on him – as if she was begging him not to let her go. He would not have it! Lupin could not have her, he tried to pry her away from him but Lupin said things to him – things that involved him, Potter and _Lily. _How he, Lupin, was there when he wasn't, how he met Bloom first. How he was her guardian – a constant remind of what he had lost to Potter and his friends.

In a way, Lupin was right. He did not have a right to care for her but he did! More than anyone did. He would not lose her again. And then she had suffered by Potter's hand, he did not know what Potter did to her but he was so cruel to Potter that even he felt bad for Potter. And then the next moment, they were friends again. He stopped being too cruel but he was still cruel.

He stared at her face which was filled with determination and finally – he put his wand down and nodded. She finally smiled at him with Lily's smile. She looked quickly at Lupin and back at him – ordering him to release him and he did so. He could not deny her anything.

Not anymore

* * *

Professor Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.

Bloom wasn't sure if she should stop standing in front of Sirius, in case Professor Snape tried something but she was worried about those cuts. _Listen to me Bloom. _

_Hestia?_

_Yes, place your hands gently on the wounds – think of something warm and soft. Pour your magic thru your hands and towards the wounds._

_I will._

Bloom walked to Professor Lupin and took his wrist gently, "Bloom, what are you doing?" he asked but she did not answer him. She thought about how it had felt when he held her just after the Boggart accident. For the first time, an adult's embrace felt save and warm to her. She let those feeling pour thru her as she closed her eyes, she felt her hands warm up and thru her mind's eye she saw them glow like a small sun. When she opened her eyes and took her hands away from his wrist they were fully healed – like anything had ever happened.

_Thank you, Hestia_

Everyone stared at the once wounded wrists, "How did you?" Harry asked in complete shock as he stared.

"I'm not sure – I just did It." she lied. It wasn't the time or place to talk about it. "Now, Professor Lupin you were saying…"

He nodded at her and then looked at Ron; "Ron please give me the rat. If it's just a regular rat nothing will happen to it. I give you my word."

"Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?" Ron asked

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Lupin, turning to Sirius and frowning slightly.

"How did you find out where he was?"

Sirius put one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.

It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this?" Professor Lupin asked Sirius, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Sirius. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry and Bloom were…"

He escaped to protect Harry and Bloom. He loves us, Bloom thought, he loves us because – because we're his family. Someone loves us! Bloom believed him at that moment. Everything that happened throughout the year was preparing her for this moment.

"My God," said Porfessor Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"

"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.

"He's got a toe missing," said Sirius.

"Of course," Professor Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Sirius. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"

"Pettigrew got the better of you, Sirius." Professor Snape sneered causing Sirius to glare at him tenfold.

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Professor Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Professor Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Professor Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.

But that wasn't right, Bloom thought suddenly… Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Sirius had escaped…

"This cat isn't mad," said Sirius hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"

"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…"

"Oh!" Bloom suddenly said and then turned to Crookshank with a small glare, "You got Neville in a lot of trouble sir." She got a purr in return.

"Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." croaked Sirius. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once."

"Enough of this," said Professor Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Bloom had never heard before. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Professor Lupin tensely.

"Force him to show himself," said Professor Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Professor Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny Sirius eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Professor Lupin.

"I need a wand." He stated.

Bloom left Professor Snape's side – she saw him tense at her moment away from him but she ignored it. She held her wand out to Sirius and smiled. He stared at her like she wasn't anything he had ever seen before. And then their hands met, "I believe you…" she told him, "I believe you, I don't need proof. I believe in you but I'm sure Harry would want to see this and I know after he has he'll believe you…"

Sirius suddenly smiled, it reminded her of the pictures she had of him and her parents. Ten years seemed to vanish without a trace. "Move back, Bloom." He said, "He might attack you, I can't believe I'm going to say this but – get next to Snape. He'll keep you save." He looked at Professor Snape for a moment, Bloom saw Professor Snape nod. Bloom did what she was told.

"Together?" Sirius said quietly.

"I think so", said Professor Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —

It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up.

He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colourless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Bloom saw his eyes dart to the door and back again. Bloom saw Professor Snape glare at the man with a glare she had never seen before on his face.

"Well, hello, Peter," said Professor Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."

"S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

Sirius's wand arm rose, but Professor Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Harry could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"

"So we've heard," said Professor Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Sirius, and Bloom saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Professor Lupin.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" interrupted Professor Snape, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Sirius started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched as though Sirius had brandished a whip at him.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Sirius. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Sirius. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Professor. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Professor Lupin evenly.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Sirius!"

Sirius's face contorted.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bearsized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…"

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Sirius hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Bloom caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but he couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen color of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Professor Lupin courteously.

"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," said Sirius. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for twelve years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Er — Mr. Sirius — Sirius?" said Hermione. "If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"

But Professor Lupin silenced him with a look. Sirius was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he was annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer. "I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand… "But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry and Bloom… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"

Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Sirius as though hypnotized.

"… Ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors… So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…"

Bloom saw the look on Harry's face – it was his thinking face. He was starting to believe…

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin; very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry…"

Bloom smiled with a watery smile, she knew what those words meant for her brother.

He looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Sirius. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

And at long last, Harry believed him, he nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't —"

Sirius kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Sirius.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Professor Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this — wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Professor Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Sirius.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Professor Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," said Sirius, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Professor Lupin grimly.

"You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.

"Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. "I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.

"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Sirius harshly.

Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…" Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

He turned to Bloom and Harry. "You wouldn't let them… your parents would understand…" he got closer to Bloom, "Right Bloom?" he got so close she started to fall back, she thought she was going to hit the ground until she felt an arm snake around her ribs pulling her up and then she was standing behind Professor Snape, who looked ready to kill. He stood in a protective stands in front of Bloom.

His wand pointing straight at Pettigrew's head, "Don't. You. Dare. Touch. Her." Snape said in a tone filled with so much hatred – Bloom shivered.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Sirius. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"

"Get away from him!" Bloom shouted, she threw something – fire at a foot away from Pettigrew

Both Sirius and Professor Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Sirius, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Sirius. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Sirius, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Sirius. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Sirius and Professor Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realized," said Professor Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.

Professor Snape cover Bloom with his back – he did not want her to see this even if she had every right. She was too young – only a second year – to see death.

"NO!" Harry yelled.

He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."

Sirius and Professor Lupin both looked staggered.

Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Sirius snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."

"Harry's right." Bloom said behind Professor Snape.

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Sirius and Professor Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," said Sirius. "But think… think what he did…"

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"

"And you'll go free Sirius." Bloom added peeping to look at them from Professor Snape's side. For the first Bloom looked like a child. Especially with her eyes shining with happiness towards Sirius and Professor Lupin; "We'll be a family again!"

Harry, Professor Lupin and Sirius all smiled.

"Very well," said Professor Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry."

Harry hesitated.

"I'm going to tie him up," said Professor Lupin. "That's all, I swear."

Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Professor Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Sirius, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?"

Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him. "Just don't let Bloom see it." Bloom rolled her eyes – even now he was being an over protective brother.

"Right," said Professor Lupin, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Professor Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"Wait," Bloom kneed in front of Ron and placed her hand gently on his leg. She felt the same feeling she had with Professor Lupin, Ron's leg began to glow. When it stopped his leg was healed – not fully but enough to stop the pain.

"Thanks Bloom."

"No problem… can we leave now?" she asked around

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Sirius, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Professor Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely

"That's good now let's leave this place before –"

Just then the floor under Bloom's feet gave out, she screamed as she fell into the darkness below.

* * *

**There you go people! It's a really long chapter! 24 pages with 12font and no double spacing. Wow I'm proud of myself! Please review! And thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	41. Family Again?

**January 29, 2012**

**Hi!**

**I hope you really liked the past chapter. I typed for so long my fingers felt numb. I don't know how long this chapter will be or how short – only time will tell. Please let me know what you think – I hope to get a lot of reviews. The faster I get reviews I faster I put up chapters – well here we go again**

**I know that the "****Sirius Sirius****" keep popping up, I tried to fix it but the stupid document would make it come back – it was so annoying as heck! But I am really sorry! **

**Enjoy!**

***There was a ****murder**** in the University I'm planning to transfer too! I don't think I want to go anymore. Every nearby college is in lock down mode. Students aren't allowed to go off by their selves. I might end up having a break from Fan fiction, I don't know yet. I'll let you know.**

**Thank You**

**Kisa Black**

* * *

**A Family Again**

* * *

Everyone saw it in slow motion – one moment Bloom was standing in front of them; smiling like they have never seen her smile before the next moment, she started to sink into the ground. Her hair looked like a candle flame as she fell with a horrible scream. "BLOOM!" they all ran to the hole that was left. Sirius, Professor Lupin and Snape and Harry all got on their knees too look down. Hoping to see her there – unharmed.

They saw her hanging on a bar at least five to seven feet down. The bar was in an odd angle tilting down. Bloom seemed to be hold for dear life – she was slipping. "Bloom, are you alright?" Harry shouted.

"I – I hurt my leg – there's a slash and I'm bleeding. My socks are wet from the blood already… Harry, I'm getting dizzy." Bloom answered when she looked up at them. She was extremely lucky to have had gotten hold on the bar so close but it was not arm length from the ground above. It was farer.

"Hold on!"

"What else would I do?" she cheeked at him, "Just make sure Pettigrew doesn't get away! I'll haunt you all if he does!"

"You're not haunting anyone." Professor Lupin said gently, "Bloom – one of us is going to reach out to you. Try to reach for our hand, alright?"

"Why can't you use magic?" Bloom asked

"I'm afraid that the slightest movement of magic might make that bar snap – if it doesn't work, I'll think of something else. Don't be scared and don't panic –"

"Lupin, you didn't drink your potion." Professor Snape said

There was a deathly silence, "Okay." Professor Lupin started, "you can panic now."

Bloom whined.

"Remus," Sirius started, "You run to the forest – the children and Snape will take Pettigrew. Harry and I will pull Bloom out –"

"Don't tell me what to do Black."

"Do you want that bastard to escape? Do something useful for once and do what I told you!"

Professor Snape opened his mouth to say something but Bloom interrupted him, "I don't mean to be rude and all but – I'M DANGLING TO MY DEATH HERE, IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN!"

They both looked down at her again, "Don't worry Bloom… I'll get you." Sirius said with a soft voice. It had a surprising calming effect on her. She wasn't freaking out anymore – well less than she was precisely.

She saw Professor Lupin smile at her kindly, "Don't worry Bloom. You'll be fine. I'll be fine." He quickly added when he saw the look in her face – the look Lily often used when she was going to ask him if he would be fine. He smiled one last time from running out – she very seen anyone run so fast before – Werewolves are so cool!

Professor Snape stood up and glared at Sirius, "If you don't save her you mutt, you'll be answering to me…"

"Oh I'm so scared – now get out of here you ass!"

With one final glare, Professor Snape turned to the other, "Weasley! Granger! Hurry up! What are you waiting for?" they quickly exited the room; Bloom could hear them run all the way. She was surprised that Professor Snape left. She thought he would fight a bit more than that but right now was not the moment to think about it.

"Bloom, do you think you'll be able to reach Sirius's hand?" Harry asked with a worried expression on his face. He was so pale, Bloom thought he was the one losing blood not her.

"I can try…"

Sirius laid himself on the floor and reached out to Bloom, "Reach Bloom."

With one hand, Bloom reached as far as she could, the tips of her fingers could touch him but nothing else. She was getting dizzier each passing moment. But she couldn't give up – not now, not when she was so close of getting a real family. She had to try harder – for Harry – for Professor Lupin – for Sirius. They needed each other now – they finally had each other after being apart for so long. She would not cause them pain – she was going to survive this!

"Sirius, I have a plan – a dumb, idiotic plan but it might work." She said

"What is it?"

Bloom swallowed, "I'm going to throw myself – and let go of the bar…"

There was a moment of silence and then Harry was shouting; "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? DO YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF?"

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU GIT? I WASN'T FINISHED!"

"WHAT? THERE'S MORE OF THIS STUPID PLAN? I REPEAT: ARE YOU OUT OF OUR MIND?"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP AND LET ME TALK!"

Both Harry and Bloom were panting, Sirius seemed to want to smile but not when Bloom was still in danger. "What's the rest of the plan, Bloom?"

"Like I was saying, I'm going to throw myself up – I can barely touch your fingers if I throw myself up I'll be able to reach. You just have to catch me and as a back – up plan Harry will have his wand out – to levitate me if you miss. I won't be touching the bar anymore but we'll only have one shot at this." Bloom explained.

Sirius and Harry shared a look, "Do you think you'll be able to catch her?" Harry asked softly

Sirius bit his lip, "Truthfully? I don't know. If I wasn't so weak yes I would be able too – but she's right, we don't have a choice. Have your wand ready, Harry."

Harry nodded.

"At the count of three." Sirius said

Bloom and Harry nodded. Harry was laying down next to Sirius; wand pointing at Bloom already. "1 … 2 … **3**!"

Bloom used all her might and threw herself up. Everything went in slow motion to her – she could see the hope in Sirius's eyes and determination in Harry's. Just when she thought he wouldn't be able to catch her – he did.

"YES!"

"Harry! Cast the spell!"

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Bloom heard Harry shout.

Together they got Bloom out – Bloom threw herself at Sirius and hugged him. If he was surprised, Sirius didn't show it – he only hugged her back, almost crushing her into his chest. Not a second later Harry joined the hug. She could hear them give a weak chuckle. Bloom felt so save at that moment, the only thing missing was Professor Lupin but for now – this right here – this was enough of her. She was filled with such peace she thought her heart was going to explode at any moment. She buried her face in Sirius's shoulder as she let the tears follow down. They weren't sad tear or near angry tears – they were just tears of relief – of Happiness – she was undeniable happy, she couldn't remember being this happy – she didn't think she ever was this happy. Not when she found out she was a witch, not when she made friends not even when she was able to go to Hogwarts.

Sirius heard her sniff, "Are you in any pain Bloom?"

Bloom shook her head, "No, I – I'm just so happy… we're all together again. We just need Professor Lupin and we can be a family again. I'm just s – so ha – happy." She held on tightly, she didn't want to lose this warmth she felt. Without knowing; she fell asleep in his arms – silent tears traced on her face.

* * *

Harry and Sirius walked out the tunnel slowly; Sirius carried Bloom in his arms. She looked so peaceful and happy. There was a faint smile on her face. This year for her was filled with pain, tears and nightmares for her. But she made it thru – she survived because she was strong, brave and so much like her parents.

"You know what this means?" Sirius suddenly asked, "Turning Pettigrew in."

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes…" said Sirius, "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Sirius stiffly. "If anything happened to them… I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle. But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you and Bloom wanted a… a different home…"

"What — live with you?" Harry said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling, he knew if Bloom was walk she would probably be laughing at him. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Sirius's. "Of course we want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can we move in?"

"You want to?" Sirius said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry. "Just let us know when! Heck – we'll be packed by the time you finish the sentence…"

Sirius finally smiled a true smile – ten years seem to fade from his face.

And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them.

"Oh no." Sirius whispered as he tighten his hold on Bloom, "Oh no oh on oh on…."

Harry quickly pulled out his wand as Sirius fell to his knees – his face was filled with misery and pain. Undying pain, Harry stepped over him and pointed to the incoming Dementors, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled. Harry thought about the fun times he had with Bloom. When she pranked Lockhart last year with the whole team when the idiot made all his bones disappear. He thought of his talks with Professor Lupin and he thought about how happy Sirius had looked when he told him he wanted to live with him.

The Dementors weren't going to mess that up for him.

And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. It was galloping silently away from him, across the dark grounds. He saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors… Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.

The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the field. It wasn't a horse. It wasn't a unicorn, either. It was a stag. "Prongs…" he now knew what animagi his father used to be.

* * *

Bloom sat on the hospital bed with her arms crossed and her cheeks puffed up with a hint of pink. She looked upset about something and in fact she was. She had woken up at the hospital wing, leg in a cast and she was tied to her bed. TIED! TO THE BED! It was like Madam Poppy didn't trust her. She ignored the smiles that were directed to her, they were amused with her situation. Instead of helping her like her loving family and friends should they were enjoying the scene. Every once in a while she heard someone snigger or chuckle at her situation but a quick glare made them turn away. She promised revenge and she was going to get it. No one dared to laugh out loud at it though – they knew of what Bloom could do and they did not want any of it.

Bloom stared at her pitiful food; two small eggs, a loaf of bread – which was two sizes too small – and a small cup of orange juice. It was all she could eat because of the potions she had to take for the next three days. One for the pain another for the blood lost and one more to make her skin grow back. It seemed that her injury was worse than she thought. The cast already had a big red mark, every two hours it had to be changed. Madam Poppy had told her that she was really luck to be able to keep her leg.

She also wasn't allowed to go to the restroom without letting someone know about it and Madam Poppy had to help her walk to and from the restroom.

Just then the hospital doors opened and Professor Dumbledore and Snape came in.

"How are you feeling Bloom." He asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

Bloom – still sulking – looked up at him, "Horrible."

Everyone tensed up; they thought she was in pain. Bloom saw Harry ready to call out Madam Poppy, Ginny and Hermione reached out for her; Ron quickly looked for one of her potions. Luna smiled at her. Abe and the twins were getting ready to run and get Madam Poppy. Professor Snape's eyes widen and looked over her to see where the pain was coming from. Before anyone could do or say anything Professor Dumbledore spoke, "Why are you feeling horrible?"

Bloom pouted, "I thought torture was banded from Hogwarts…"

Everyone stared at her like she grew a second head.

"It is."

"Well then why am I tied to the bed? And why must I eat food that taste like it belongs in the trash. If this isn't torture I'm not sure what is." Bloom continued to pout, "It's like I did something awful and have to be punished. I swear even Ron wouldn't eat this."

"Oi!"

Fred and George laughed at the look on Ron's face. Ginny, Hermione and Luna – who knew what Bloom was going to say – giggled. Harry looked between wanting to laugh and wanting to lecture her about scaring him like that. Professor Snape rolled his eyes but still gave a faint smile.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "I am sorry Bloom but you must eat this so your blood can run thru your leg. I promise as soon as you are healed I'll have someone bring you anything you want to eat."

Bloom finally smiled, "Thank you…" just then she heard Madam Poppy get up, getting Bloom's potion. Knowing it was going to taste awful, Bloom laid back down and covered her head. "Tell her I'm not her! Or tell her I'm asleep…"

This time everyone did laugh as she pretended to fall asleep.

* * *

Sirius's trial was set for Saturday. Bloom, Harry and Ron and Hermione were getting ready to go to the Ministry. Professor Remus and Snape were going to go with them as well as Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster told them that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would meet them at the Ministry and they would be bringing the Grangers as well. The guardians and parents had to be present since they were all underage expect – of course – Professor Lupin and Snape.

Professor Dumbledore managed to pull some strings and had Sirius stay at Hogwarts but neither Harry nor Bloom were allowed to see Sirius.

Now they waited in a hallway for them to be called into the trial.

Harry was pacing around the room nonstop for the past fifteen minutes. Ron was tapping his foot and yawning as the minutes went by. Hermione was reading Hogwarts, A History again. Professor Lupin sat next to Bloom – on her right – he had a tight grip on his hands, he was paler than normal. Professor Snape stood behind them – as if he was watching out for anything – he had a blank look on his face but there was something in his eyes – something that Bloom couldn't quite understand.

Bloom felt like she was going to throw up. She kept biting her lip and looking around and jumping at any sound. She only calmed down when she reached out and held onto Professor Lupin's hand. It had a calming effect on her. She took deep breathes as she tried to relax – she had to keep her emotions in check. Not just for Sirius but everyone – she could not lose control over her powers. Not now. Not when this was so important.

She thought she heard a growling sound behind her but ignored it.

Then the doors opened. A young girl with purple hair came out. She had a heart shape face and kind eyes. "Siri's trial is about to start."

Everyone stared at her. Bloom giggled. "Siri?"

The witch blushed, "Sorry. His old nickname comes out from time to time."

Remus stood up, "I remember you. You're Nymphadaora, Sirius's baby cousin."

"Please don't call me that… I hate my name…" she huffed, "call me Tonks. I swear I should sue my mother."

The others laughed. "You haven't changed Nymphadaora – I mean Tonks." He quickly corrected with a kind smile. Tonks seemed to blush even more as he got closer, Bloom held onto Professor Lupin's hand as they walked by. She quickly looked back at Tonks to see her blushing red even her hair turned pink. The others walked behind them.

The trial room was huge. The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. Empty benches rose on either side of him, but ahead, in the highest benches of all, were many shadowy figures. They had been talking in low voices, but as the heavy door swung closed behind Bloom and her friends an ominous silence fell.

Tonks lead them to their seats. There was a chair in the middle of the room – Sirius was sitting there. There was a bit of hope in his eyes as if he couldn't dare and hope everything would be over soon. This was their chance, they couldn't let that go.

"Truth Serum." Said a cold voice it was Fudge.

A black man with a bald head came up to Sirius with a little potion, Bloom watched as three drops were dropped into Sirius's mouth, she had to make sure it was just three drops. Professor Snape did teach it that Truth Serum could be lethal if they were given more than five. But three was enough. Sirius nodded to the man before he went back to his spot.

"Are you Sirius Orion Black?"

"Yes."

"Were you the Potter's Secret Keeper?"

"I was until we decided to change it to Peter Pettigrew." Bloom heard everyone gasp, many looked at each other

"Did you kill all those Muggles on November 2, 1981?"

"No, when I finally tracked him down, he shouted that I betrayed James and Lily and used dark magic to blow up a gas pipe nearby."

Many were now staring at Sirius with shock in their faces – they now realized that he was sent to Azkaban, an innocent man was sent to Azkaban.

"Mr. Black." Bloom turned and saw Neville's grandma rise from her seat. "Since you are innocent – we all know now that you are – why didn't you say this at your trial?"

Sirius looked really angry, not at her but at the question. "I didn't get a trial."

This time everyone including Professor Dumbledore gasped. There was an instant up roar –

"He wasn't given a trial?"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"What do you mean you weren't given a trial?"

But the loudest was Madam Longbottom; "FUDGE!" everyone stopped whatever they were doing. Fudge was sinking into his seat. "YOU TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GIVEN A TRIAL! I KNEW THE BOY SINCE HE WAS IN DIAPERS! HE WAS MY SON'S FRIEND! I ASKED YOU FOR THOSE TRIAL PAPERS! BUT YOU WOULDN'T GIVE THEM TO ME STATING THAT THERE WAS NO POINT! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF? – NO! DO NOT ANSWER! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO MINISTERS EVERYWHERE! HELL I WOULD CURSE YOU RIGHT NOW IF I WASN'T SO ANGRY I MIGHT END UP BLOWING THIS WHOLE DAMN ROOM UP! YOU FREE HIM THIS INSTANT! I MEAN IT! DON'T MAKE ME GET MY WAND OUT! NO – FORGET IT! I'LL DO IT!" she turned sharply to Sirius – it was so fast Bloom thought she snapped her neck. Then with a softer face and tone she said; "Sirius Black, you are now free of all charges against you. The idiot we have for a Minister will make the announcement as soon as possible. Isn't that right?" Fudge nodded fearfully. "You are given 100,000 gallons for your time in Azkaban – not nearly enough for it – rest him now!"

Instead of waiting for someone to free him, Madam Bones raised her wand and freed him. She sent a smile to him and then to Bloom with a small wink. Bloom had the feeling that Madam Bones was going to announce the non – trial when she had the chance but things came out pretty good. Sirius stood up but was tackled to the ground by Harry and Bloom. "You're Free! You're Free! You're Free!" they cheered. As soon as they got up, Professor Lupin joined the hug. This was the hug Bloom had been waiting for – for how long she didn't know maybe since her parents were taken from her. Harry had tears running down his face but he was also smiling. Professor Lupin wasn't any better. Bloom felt like this moment was prefect maybe even better than prefect.

After the long group hug Sirius spoke up; "I will like to make a request."

"Anything, Mr. Black" Madam Bones answered still glaring at Fudge who was saying, "Anything you need Mr. Black, just name it."

"I would like a house – not just any house – a damn good one. I want Harry, Bloom and my friend Remus Lupin to live with me."

* * *

**There you go guys! Please review! And thank my beta Mira SSSB… i'm already starting at the next chapter.**


	42. What Is A Family

**Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter; it took me a while to get it done. I wanted to put enough emotion in it. This one will be emotional too. I hope.**

**I am being careful – not going off on my own and stuff. Right now it's raining and I figured I'll write a bit before I go to school.**

**So here it is**

**Thank You**

* * *

**What is a Family?**

* * *

Madam Bones nodded, "Of course…"

"But – but we can't do that!" Fudge said fearfully, "You – Mr. Lupin is a werewolf – what if – what if –"

Bloom glared at him and marched to stand in front of him, hands on her hips. "Don't you dare accuse him of ever hurting us! He is part of my family! He is my uncle! I have been separated from him and Sirius because of your stupid laws! Werewolf or not! I love him! He's my family and neither you nor no one else is going to take him from me! If you even try – I will announce to the world what you did to Sirius and these idiotic laws about people that are different from you! Did you know that in America – they don't have laws against people that just a bit different from them. Everyone is treated equal! How would your people feel if I told them that I don't want to live here because you made it impossible to really live here! Oh yes they will be really proud of you! Chasing away the Boy – who – lived and his family! So either you stop with your nonsense about people or you will have the public mobbing you!"

Silence followed after – no one dared to speak. From the corner of her eye, Bloom could see Madam Longbottom smile at her respectfully. "You tell him Potter. Heavens maybe this time he'll listen…"

Fudge looked around for back up but found none, "Ve – very well… your request in granted Mr. Black. Just tell the court where you want the house to be…"

"Near Harry's friend; Ron… and make it a big house oh! And I want a life time supply of the potion Wolfbane. That shouldn't be too hard."

* * *

Peter Pettigrew trial had begun – there was no pity for the man before them. The tension seemed to be so deep and dark it was downright frightening. There sat Pettigrew – shaking with fear. He would not meet anyone's eyes. He especially couldn't look at Harry nor Bloom's direction. Bloom knew why. She may be a second year but she was older than that. She and Harry had seen things that would make grown wizards pass out. And yet – here she was. She felt no love – no pity but most definite hate for the cowardly man. She could not take this silence anymore. He would not talk – he just looked around for a way out.

Bloom stood up and walked towards him – ignoring the cries of her family and friends. Everyone in the court stared at her – she saw Tonks and the Black man lean forward in case Pettigrew tried to attack her.

Pettigrew stared at his lap – ignoring her.

"Why wouldn't you look at me?" Bloom asked in a whisper, but in the silences she knew everyone could hear. When she got no answer she continued, "You can't stand to be near me can you? You can't even look at me. Why is that? Is it because I look so much like my mother?" she saw him flinch, "you remember her don't you? Well you're lucky… I can't remember her." Hot tears filled her eyes. "I don't know what her touch felt like. I don't know how she treated me. I don't even remember her love. All because you took her from me, you killed her."

"N- no I – I –the – Dark – Dark Lo – Lord d – did –"

"Voldemort might have casted the spell but you gave them to him." She said, "Look at me… look at me! Look at the eyes given to me by my father! Look into the eyes that you betrayed! You can't stand to look at me because I look like my mother and I have my father's eyes. How does it feel to look at the reminder of your betrayal? How does it feel to look at the face that once cared about you? How does it feel to look at the eyes – the eyes of James Potter – the man that befriended you! Looked after you! Helped you! You killed them Wormtail! You did it! You sent the most evil man in all of history to your once best friend's house! To kill them! To kill my father! To kill my mother! To kill my brother! To kill me! I was three months old Wormtail! Three months! You didn't once care about that did you? You just wanted to survive… you destroyed a family and your friends…"

Harry stood up and walked to Bloom's side and faced Wormtail. He took out his wand and waved it over them. Bloom felt a change. "Look at us Wormtail." They said together. But he didn't look up – "LOOK AT US!" the shout made everyone jump. Finally Wormtail looked at them and gasped.

"J – James … L – Lily…" Bloom knew what he saw – Harry had changed their eye color – right now Wormtail did not see Bloom and Harry Potter. He saw James and Lily Potter.

"You betrayed us Wormatil." Harry spoke, "You killed us, and even after all we did for you. You killed us and destroyed my family. Why Wormtail? Why did you do it?"

Wormtail broke, "I d – didn't m – mean too! I'm sorry! James! I'm sorry! I was never brave or strong like you! I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! James – James, forgive me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Lily – please please… I'm sorry!"

Harry and Bloom backed away from him and walked to Sirius and Professor Lupin's arms. They cried as a family. Years of pain and sorrow, years of separation and loneliness was over now. The guilty one was now caught, Sirius was free; Professor Lupin would live with them. If everything was so prefect why did it feel so horrible? Why didn't it feel like the end?

The answer was simple.

It wasn't the end.

* * *

Bloom held onto Remus for the rest of the trial. She was so tired she could barely listen to the court – this was it. The end of her parents' betrayal, the man that betrayed them was going to Azkaban now for safe keeping. He was voted to get the Dementors Kiss – not that he knew that. They didn't want him to try to escape if he knew. His cellar was enchanted so he couldn't transform. Bloom watched as they – Tonks and the bald man – take Wormtail away. It was disguising to watch a grown man cry like an infant.

The rest of the year went by fast. Word that Sirius was innocent spread so fast throughout the school Bloom didn't understand how they found out. Rumors that Sirius was lying or dying spread around, then the article came out the following evening announcing Sirius Black's innocents.

**SIRIUS BLACK – INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGERS!**

**We all remember when Sirius Black was "found" as a Death – Eater; a follower of You – Know – Who. He was rumored to be You – know – Who's right hand man. His story begins with his family; The Black Family. They were known to be Dark Wizards and believed in the Pure – Blood status. The whole family had been in Slytherin expect for Andromeda Tonks nee Black and Sirius Black. Andromeda Tonks was sorted into Ravenclaw while Sirius Black was sorted into Gryffindor. It is said that when Mr. Black was sorted into Gryffindor his mother announced that he was a shame to the family but Mr. Black didn't seem to care.**

**Not all after he was disinherited by his mother Mr. Black moved in with Charles and Dorea Potter; mother and father of James Potter; Harry and Bloom Potter's father. Sirius Black was James Potter's best friend and best man when he married Lily Evans. He was also named Godfather to Harry Potter. Remus Lupin – another best friend of James and Lily Potter – was to be Bloom Potter's Godfather but the Potters were murdered by You – know – who.**

**When the Potters found out that they were being targeted by You –know – who, they went into hiding to protect themselves. They were protected by an unknown power and Sirius Black was the only one that would be able to tell where they were. He was their Secret Keeper. Our history said that Sirius Black told You – know –who were to find the Potters but it was a lie, we were told that Sirius Black killed Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles with one curse, that was a lie.**

**Sirius Black didn't betray the Potters as we were told to believe.**

**Peter Pettigrew was the one that betrayed the Potters.**

**He was the Secret Keeper to the Potters. He was also a spy for You – know – who. Pettigrew was the one that told the Dark Lord. Pettigrew ran when he heard word of You – know –who's defeat. Black was the only one that knew the truth and so he went after him, when he finally cornered Pettigrew, Pettigrew shouted that Black had betrayed the Potters and blew up the street killing thirteen muggles.**

**Sirius Black only escaped because he found out where Pettigrew was. Pettigrew was an illegal animagi – his form a Rat. Pettigrew was at Hogwarts and was passing as a Rat; the rat belonged to Ronald Weasley, one of Harry Potter's best friends. Fearing that Pettigrew could harm the Potters, Sirius Black escaped to protect and save his only family. (Continue on page six)**

**Sirius Black was freed earlier this evening, he demanded for a home for his family; Remus Lupin and Harry and Bloom Potter. The location is unknown for protection for the Potter children. For they have been attack by You – know – who, Dementors and much more. We relieved word that last year Bloom Potter almost lost her life due to an attack by a monster. The monster was from the Chamber of Secrets. The youngest Potter was also attacked by Dementors earlier this year while trying to protect her brother – who had fallen at least fifty feet during a Quidditch match while he was playing. (Continues on page eight)**

**For more information on the Potter siblings attacks on page 13 – 16**

Bloom stared at the article for a few minutes – she noticed that everyone was staring at her, Harry and Ron at the moment. She couldn't believe what the article said – who did they find out about last year. It was possible that one of the students told their parents but the media? The stares were becoming more and more intents – she needed a way out, her face was getting redder and redder. She didn't like the attention on her – she never did. Why couldn't people leave her and her family alone? Now everyone knew – she wasn't sure if was a good thing or bad thing. One thing was for sure – they now knew her relationship with Professor Lupin.

The year went by with students constantly asking her about Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. She jinxed whoever asked her now – the first one that asked she politely said she wasn't allowed to tell and then more and more came. It got to the point that she couldn't get to her class on time but lucky the Professors didn't count it against her. Harry was dodging people left and right for weeks – every time they got an owl, everyone came up to see if it was from Sirius. People even started to ask Professor Lupin but he said that whoever asked would receive detention with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall for two weeks – each. That spook people off.

Finally it was the day to go home; Professor Dumbledore told them that they had to return to the Dursleys for at least two weeks. It was horrible to hear that but it was to keep them safe and Sirius's house was not yet ready. On the train ride back to the muggle world was nice. Ginny, Luna and Bloom stayed together next to Harry's compartment.

"How are you feeling Bloom." Luna asked

"I'm fine just – I can't wait to move in with Sirius and Remus… I had hoped that I wouldn't see the Dursleys again… one can only hope."

"Oh don't worry Bloom," Luna said. "I'm sure Sirius and Professor Lupin would talk with your relatives."

Ginny grinned, "Yeah – I can see it now! Oh I hope they scare them! You have to let me know how it goes."

All three of them giggled.

"Anyone up for a game?"

* * *

Harry held onto Sirius while Bloom held onto Remus as they apparated to Privet Drive number Four. Bloom felt very dizzy and would have fallen if Remus hadn't caught her. "I think I'm going to be sick." She whispered as the Earth moved around her. She saw Harry trying to stead himself on his feet. Sirius seemed to be enjoying the scene by the grin on his face. He was finally clean and had a haircut – it now reached his shoulders in a wave.

"Take deep breaths, it'll help I promise." Remus said.

They walked together as a family towards the house. Bloom had a grin on her face – she couldn't wait to see their faces. This was going to be good! She would be jumping up and down expect she feared she would lose her lunch. Sirius and Remus were both wearing respectable muggle clothes – in fact – they looked quite handsome. Bloom could see the neighbors – the wives and daughters – come out and stare at them. Some were gaping others were fixing their hair. Bloom wanted to laugh but she understood them. Sirius had that whole care – free tough guy aura and he was really handsome while Remus had a pleasant and relaxing aura that made people stare at him, he was cute.

Sirius stopped at the door and knocked.

After a few seconds Aunt Petunia opened the door. Her mouth dropped when she saw Sirius and Remus – she looked at both of them as she blushed then coughed. "Hello, May I help you?" she asked in a sweet voice; she had not noticed her own nephew or niece.

Sirius smiled, "Hello, I am Sirius Black – Harry's Godfather."

Her eyes popped out as she paled. She finally looked at them as if realizing they were just there. "Quickly get inside!" she looked around at the neighbors – hoping that they hadn't heard them.

Remus and Sirius stood in front of Bloom and Harry. "We will make this quick." Sirius said, "Is Vernon here?"

Just then Uncle Vernon came in with Dudley; both were eating doughnuts. They choked when they saw Harry and Bloom with company. "WHO ARE YOU?"

Sirius pulled out his new wand and gracefully played with it as the Dursleys paled. "Anywho … we have some busy to talk about; why don't you sit down?" without wanting too, the Dursleys did what Sirius asked. Bloom and Harry sat opposite of the Dursleys while Remus and Sirius stood behind them. "Here's the thing – Harry and Bloom will only be staying here for two weeks each summer. We have heard how you have treated my godchildren – if we hear one complaint – just one and we will be here before you can even take a breath."

"And I'll have you know." Remus smiled coldly, "I am a werewolf. If I fear that they are in danger I will come and here and rip you apart."

"You – are you threatening us? I WON'T ALLOW IT!" Uncle Vernon shouted

But Sirius and Remus just smiled; "We are widely known throughout the magical world – we can do things and get away with them." they pulled Harry and Bloom to their feet. "Now let's check out your room – I want to make sure it's an appropriate size." Sirius pulled them upstairs as the Dursleys tried to figure out what to do. When Sirius opened the door to Harry and Bloom's room he was not happy. It was the size of a walk in closet. "What? This is it? They have four rooms and they can't give you gives another one? This won't do at all!"

Remus and Sirius pulled out their wands and with a wave the room tripled in size – Bloom knew that from the outside it looked the same – the charms of an expansion charm. Next Remus made another bed from the one bed they had, Sirius then charmed the wall to have Gryffindor colors. In all it was a major improvement.

"Bloom what classes are you taking next year?" Remus asked; next year he wasn't going to be a Professor – ever since people found out that he was a werewolf, instead he was going to help Sirius with the new house.

"I got the usually you know; Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Astronomy. Plus Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical creatures." She was taking two more extra classes than normal but she really wanted them.

"Oh no – you're a bookworm like Remus and your mother was." Sirius shook his head as he said it. Causing Remus and Bloom to roll their eyes and Harry laugh.

* * *

Bloom and Harry had two more days to go and frankly they couldn't wait. Sirius and Remus owled them every day, noon and night, most of their friends owled them as well, they told them about what they were doing and how they missed each other and hoped to see each other soon. That evening Aunt Petunia sent Bloom to get a gallon of milk and sweet bread for her little Duddykins. Even if he was on a diet, Dudley had gotten so big it was beyond gross – she tried not to look at him at all. His fat hanged from all sides – he would never have a girlfriend at this rate.

Bloom was wearing her summer clothes – a light tank top and fade jeans that reached her thighs. She tied up her hair and let her bangs frame her face. Aunt Petunia gave her a basket to fill up with sweet bread. She walked back to the house when she heard footsteps behind her – she turned and saw – to her disguise – Piers. Rat faced, creepy, never – leave – her – alone Piers!

"Bloom! I've been looking for you!" he shouted.

"Hi Piers" she said in a dry tone. Why couldn't he leave her alone? Where was Harry when she needed him? "Do you need anything?"

He smiled a – what he thought was – charming smile. "I heard you were back and I just had to see you – I mean you are my girlfriend." Bloom stopped walking – what did he just say? Is he out of his mind? Why would he even think that?

"Piers – um why do you think we're dating?"

He turned to her; "Well we are…"

"No we're not… I'm not your girlfriend!" then out of nowhere Piers pushed Bloom into a tree.

"You are my girlfriend Bloom. I said you are which means you are!" he had her pinned on the tree, before she could say anything she heard someone shout

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!"

Bloom turned and saw someone's hand then arm. The hand punched Piers in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground. The next moment Bloom was staring at someone's back.

Aberam Redfern.

"Abe? How did you …" but she stopped talking when she saw the look in his face. She had never seen him so angry before – he looked ready to curse Piers. Bloom reached out and touched his arm; the gesture seemed to relax him a bit. At the very least he put his wand back in his pocket. Piers was getting to his feet; holding onto his jaw.

"What do you think you're doing?" Piers asked, glaring at Abe.

"Don't touch Bloom!"

"I can do whatever I want with her! She's my girlfriend!"

"For the last time!" Bloom shouted, "I'm not your girlfriend!" while Abe shouted, "She's not your girlfriend!"

"She is so! She's just confused – she's so innocent she doesn't know what she's saying." Piers answered.

Abe looked ready to tackle Piers into the ground but Bloom pulled Abe's arm; "Let's go Abe. He's not worth it – come one…" she pulled his arm. No matter how much she wanted to curse Piers into the next plane, she didn't want any trouble right now. Just a few more hours and she would leave. Without turning his back on Piers, Abe followed Bloom's pull. They both ignored Piers' shouts. When they were a few blocks away Bloom let his arm go. "Are you okay?" he asked her; his eyes were full of concern. She had never seen him this way. In just a few days he grew a about an inch alone…

"Yeah, if you hadn't showed up when you did…" Bloom shivered at the thought of Piers' being her first kiss. "How did you get here though?"

"I was going to the store to buy some things my mom wanted, I heard you shout and ran over here –next thing I knew Piers pushed you, I got mad so I ran and hit him." He answered, "You sure you're okay?"

Bloom smiled, "I'm fine, really. Thank You. You really did save me back there."

She went with him to the store and helped him pick out the things his mother needed. She was having a great time just talking to him. They talked about school and Quidditch – he loved Quidditch and hoped to be in the team soon, just not yet. The topic of homework came up too – "You already did your homework!" he said staring at her with shock clearly on his face and his tone.

"Of course, what else would I do with the Dursleys'? Besides now that it's over with I can hang out with Sirius and Remus without worrying about homework – plus Remus can help me check it over." she cheered.

Abe shook his head with a smile on his face – she knew he wasn't shook at all but it always amused him when she did things like this, she didn't see what was amusing but at least he had a kick out of it. "Did you hear about the Quidditch Cup?"

His eyes widen with excitement, "Yes I did! Are you going? I am! Alex's family is coming and brought tickets and they're going to take me and Micky with them! I'm so excited!" he went on and on. Bloom told him that she and her family; Harry, Sirius and Remus would be going and so would be Luna and the Weasleys.

Abe's mom was one of the most respectable women in all of London. Even Aunt Petunia couldn't say anything bad about her. Making that she couldn't say anything about Abe – Bloom smiled whenever Aunt Petunia talked to Abe, for one Abe looked like he wanted to jump out the window, two; Aunt Petunia would act so highly to prove she was high class, Bloom knew she wanted to get invited to a high class party.

* * *

Finally the day Sirius and Remus was coming to get them was here!

The moment the Dursleys heard the door knock they pushed Bloom and Harry with their stuff out the door. They would have fallen if Sirius and Remus had caught them, "Geez! We'll miss you too!" Bloom shouted at the door.

Remus and Sirius quickly skunked their belongings and then placed them into their pockets, "Ready?"

Harry and Bloom were jumping up and down, they quickly held onto their respectable uncles. Bloom closed her eyes so not much of the dizzy would affect her. She felt that twist in her stomach and then a stomp on the ground. When she opened her eyes and saw her new home she gasped. It was a nice house – it was an old English house. It had two stories and on the first floor had it had six windows only and six on the second. It was a long rectangle shape. There was a river surrounding the house with clear water – vines climbed the walls giving it a magical hidden look to it. "That's just the entrance of the house." Remus smiled at the look on their faces.

"En – entrance?" Bloom gasped out.

Sirius smiled, "Yup – if we were under attack them would be aiming at the cottage – as soon as we are all in the real house will seal itself and the entrance will be gone, only we can open it."

Harry didn't even move, not that Bloom could blame him. Inside the cottage it looked like any normal muggle home, it had everything a kitchen, two living areas, five bedrooms, three and an half bath room and even a game room – to think this wasn't the house was shocking enough! What could the real house look like?

Her question was answered quickly.

The entrance allowed looked like a the door to a muggle magical door – Lilies bloomed on all sides of the door, they nearly covered the whole wall alone and the door was made of wood – it had a magical Stag and a Doe on the wood, the moved around but stopped to stare at Bloom and Harry – that seemed to make the door open.

* * *

The real house was even bigger than the cottage – four stories high – the first floor lead to the dungeons which they used for when Remus became Moony. There was a tunnel from there that lead to the forest behind the house. The second floor – which was were the magical door opened too – was the kitchen and dining room plus the living area – the kitchen was the prefect kitchen for any girl; it had an island, a large counter, an old fashion pizza oven and a new model of an oven. Everyone appliance imaginable, it almost made Bloom cry – she could finally bake all she wanted with room to spare!

The dining was huge as well – it had two short sofas for two people and one large one for three people. A low coffee table and muggles appliances like a television – a large television – dvd player, vcr player, cd player and even a record player for Sirius 'records'. It all so had a bookshelf – it covered two walls of the room! It had magical books, fiction books, non – fiction book and so much more. Bloom almost grabbed and book and sat down but Sirius stopped her. Telling her she read too much already.

The third floor had Sirius and Remus' room. Their rooms were the size of Dursleys' whole house! It had the usually things; king size bed, dressers, a walk in closet, a television and so on. The other rooms were the bath rooms and two private offices. Sirius made one room full of prank materials and prank plans, Remus made one room into a library. Bloom wanted to go and check out the books but again – Sirius stopped her. They also had three guest bedrooms for whenever they had visitors meaning the Weaselys or Luna and Hermione. Some rooms had two beds but the room was big enough to fit at least three people.

The fourth floor had three more guest rooms like the ones on the third floor and Harry and Bloom's bedrooms. Bloom ran to the door that had a wood curving of a lily blooming. Her bedroom was the size of the Dursleys' property! Including the front and back yard! Her bed was huge! Maybe even bigger than normal king size beds – the wood dresser was near her bed, she even had her own desk to do her homework – it faced the window. She even had a bookshelf full of all her favorite books and books she would need. Everything was made of white wood, her room had a calming effect and it just made everything alright. And then she noticed the closet door – it was one of the biggest closet; she had ever seen in her live. And it had clothes in there – cloaks for the wizarding world and for the muggle world. And even shoes! She wasn't even a shopping person, she didn't care about clothes – she hated shopping but only liked it when she shopped for books and art supplies. Her style was simple and cute. Next she checked the bathroom – she gasped at the sight.

The bath tub was in the ground – like the ones you see in movie stars' bathrooms. "How do you rinse?" she asked out loud, just then a soft waterfall came out of the ceiling and gently poured into the pool – it reminded her of Pocahontas, when she was hiding behind the waterfall. "Wow." Everything in the bathroom was made of marble – the walls had magical paintings of a forest and a stag and a doe running around and forest music and rain songs played in the background. It was wonderful – this was more than she could ever hope for…

Never in her life did she even think she would ever have something like this. An amazing home and a loving family…

Harry's room was just like hers' only it was made with cherry wood and differently arranged. They were so happy they couldn't believe they were this happy.

* * *

Bloom had living with her Uncles for a few weeks now – and it was four days before her birthday. She was currently in the living room watching _The HunchBack of Norte Dame _the Disney film. It was one of her favorite movies; she was on the part when the creepy old guy was singing Hell Fire. The way he would look at her was way too creepy! "Hey Bloom, what are you watching?" Sirius asked as he let himself drop beside her.

"Hunch Back of Norte Dame, it's about a creepy minister that is hunting down gsypies because they're different – reminds me of Voldemort. Anyways, he's like in love with Esmeralda – a Gsypy. Hypocrite – anyways he'll do whatever it takes to get her, and if he can't have her no one can."

"I'll say." Sirius said. "Not that I blame him, she's pretty but your right – he's like Voldemort. Does he kill them?"

"Yes, he even tries to burn down the church in Paris. Oh and he even killed the bell ringer's mother – not that he knows that – in front of the church. Sicko, isn't he?" Bloom tilted her head towards him.

"I agree. Sicko."

"Ow!"

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked jumping up.

"I – I don't know. I just felt a sharp pain in my stomach. Ow…"

"Do you want anything? Pain killer or potion?"

"I'm fine really – it's going away…" but the pain didn't leave her in fact it got bigger and more painful as time went by. By the time she went to bed her legs felt numb – her stomach felt like it was at war with itself. What's happening to me? She asked herself. Maybe she should ask for a potion from one of the three house – elves they had; Diddy, Missy and Carly. Every time she moved her legs pain shot thru her body – as long as she didn't move too much that pain was bearable. This was going to be a long night.

Bloom curled into a ball during the night – the pain was great. She felt that she should go to the bathroom – just in case. She checked her clock and saw that it was eight in the morning – so she did the only thing she could think of.

"Missy?" she called.

With a pop a small house – elf appeared, "Does Mistress Bloom need anything?"

"Missy – can you please get Mrs. Weasley? And tell her I'm in a bit of pain. And also tell Diddy, to tell the others here that she's coming. Please."

"Oh of course Mistress!" and with a pop she was gone. Not long after there was a knock on her door. "Come in."

Mrs. Weasley walked in quickly, Bloom could see Sirius and the others trying to come in as well but Mrs. Weasley stopped them; "I'll let you in after I find out what's wrong! This could be a woman issues!" then she quickly closed the door. Then walked to Bloom's side, "What's wrong Bloom?"

"I feel pain all over my stomach and legs… what's happening to me?"

To her surprise Mrs. Weasley smiled; "Oh dear, I guess your aunt didn't tell you. Okay first you have to drink this." Mrs. Weasley pulled out a little blue potion and helped Bloom drink it. It stopped the pain almost completely! "Okay the pain should be gone now let's get you to the bathroom. You have to put this on." She showed her a small pad looking thing, Oh! Now she knew what was going on. She blushed at her stupidity. "It's a magically pad, Sweetie. You only need one for a day – I'll explain on the way. Now get to the bathroom."

After everything was in order Mrs. Weasley gave Bloom – The Talk.

* * *

**There you go people! All done, at least for now. Please let me know what you think and thank my Beta Mira SSSB. I wrote a lot people I hope for many reviews.**

_**This is Mira and i have to say i feel sorry for Bloom... Having to grow up with men that can deal with women issues.**_


	43. Moments like These

**February 13, 2012**

**Hello everyone!**

**I hope you're well. I'm trying to add family moments in this chapter, hopefully it comes out good. I'm currently studying for my Biology exam. If I hear one more person ask about ions, carbohydrates I'm going to scream, my brain feels like it might explode at any moment, that's way it's taking me a while to update right now. I think I have this year down on what I plan to write. This is a really hard chapter to write.**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

**Thank You**

* * *

**Moments like These**

* * *

After Bloom and Mrs. Weasley's little talk, Bloom felt like all her blood was in her face – it wasn't that it was uncomfortable, because it was! It was just – weird. She never thought she would have this talk with her. But it was a whole lot better than having this talk with Remus or Sirius. So she counted her blessings and tried her best to be mature about her situation at the moment. After Mrs. Weasley left her family – she liked saying that 'her family' – came in with worried expressions on their faces.

"Bloom, are you okay?" Harry asked as soon as he walked in, well more like ran in. Remus and Sirius were quietly talking to Mrs. Weasley – Bloom looked at them from the corner of her eyes. She saw a hint of pink on both Remus and Sirius' face – well more on Sirius's.

"I'm fine Harry… it wasn't anything you have to worry about." She answered as she buried herself into her covers – warmth was good, warmth was relief!

"It wasn't '_nothing'_, Bloom." Harry said. "You looked really pale – ever since yesterday. Now what's wrong?"

Bloom tried not to snap but she wasn't feeling herself. She as tired, sleepy and weak – plus she wanted something really warm to drink right now but even the thought of moving made her stomach twist with pain – well more pain. Oh and let's not forget she felt yucking – what she would do for a nice hot shower or even bath a nice hot bath with bubbles! Yes that sounded quite nice to her right now. "Please Harry." She said as she watched Mrs. Weasley leave. "Let me sleep… I'm not in the mood to talk right now." Even with the potion Mrs. Weasley had told her that the first time it didn't work fully – the first time a female had to feel the pain because her body was yet not used to the potion. It would take a few months for her body to be used to it.

She just wanted to sleep and not wake up for a week.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong!"

Bloom's eyes snapped open as she sat up, "You want to know! Fine! I started my Period! You know my menstrual cycle! I'm in pain! Every part of me hurts! So I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood for talking! Now let me sleep!"

She buried herself back in her warm bed and counted to ten until her world went dark.

* * *

_Bloom, you are ready to start you training._

_What? Now? But I'm so tired… Bloom answered as she tried to block everything out. But she had no luck – _

_Your body is maturing – it is ready to go thru your training…_

_Ahhhh okay – what do I have to do? Bloom asked. This was so not her day. She could heal wounds but no! She couldn't heal herself – what kind of sick game was this? Honestly! What did she do in her past life? Kicked a puppy? Spit on someone's muffin? _

_First you need to control your emotions, Bloom. We'll start with – your time calls it – yoga and then you must run every night for half an hour first. Then as you improve I'll add half an hour. Hestia answered._

_Please tell me that I don't have to do it right now, please Hestia. Bloom begged._

_No, once your body as recovered from you pain but you must start with yoga._

_Thank you!_

_Now rest – soon, really soon someone will come and help train you._

_Who?_

_Someone with great power – you won't know it at first but you will find out._

* * *

Bloom's birthday started early – way too early. Something wet poked her forehead multiple times until she got annoyed and smacked it with her pillow; she heard a yelp but didn't get out of bed. Then there was poking involved – pokes on her back, head, legs and arms. No one dared to poke her stomach – she would curse them before them knew it was coming."St – op it…" she yawned…

"Oh come on Birthday Girl!" she heard Sirius shout. "You can't be sleeping on your birthday!"

"Since it's my birthday I should do what I want. And what I want is to sleep thank you very much…"

"No chance of that happening… now up! Up!"

She didn't answer – that was a big mistake! Two strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her and her blanket off her bed. "What are you doing?" she yelped as she fought with the blankets on her face. She felt like she was pushed into a big body bag.

"Taking you to your cake, what? You don't want any?"

Bloom bit her lip, "Is it chocolate?" she asked.

She felt Sirius shake his head; "Honestly a couple of months with Moony and he already got you addicted to chocolate…"

"I'm not addicted!" Both Bloom and Remus stated.

Bloom knew Sirius rolled his eyes so she smacked Sirius on the back. "Oi!"

She laughed.

All four of them sat at the breakfast table – Bloom quickly ran back to her room to brush her teeth and hair. But stayed on her jammies – she did not want the warmth she fought so hard for to leave her. When she was going to cut her cake she got an idea. "Oh Sirius what's that on the cake?" she pointed at a spot on it.

"What?"

"Look closer."

His face was at least four inches from the cake when she pushed his face in. There was a moment of silence and then everyone started laughing at the scene. They couldn't believe she tricked him so easily – not even a four year old would have fallen for it but here was the Mightily Marauder Sirius Black – falling for the oldest trick in the book. "Let's just say that was play back for waking me up Siri…"

"Cheeky brat… just like her mother…. I can't believe I fell for that…."

Remus was trying his best not to laugh again and so was Harry but the will was too weak. Sirius pouted as they laughed at his cake covered face. "Anyways! Bloom what would you like for you birthday gift?"

The smiled slid off her face – there was one thing she wanted. But should she even ask?

"I – I want…" she looked down at her lap. Everyone stared at her, what had suddenly gotten her so sad?  
Remus kneed beside her, "Bloom tell us what's wrong?"

"I – I want to – I want to see – to see my parents' grave." She whispered. She was met with a cold silence - she saw it coming. "I'm sorry – it's just I – I've never – "

After a moment, everyone nodded. In silence they dressed, in silences they walked to the front yard holding onto each other in some way. With a deep breathe Remus and Sirius apparated with Bloom and Harry holding onto them, even when they arrived at their destination Harry and Bloom didn't let go – Bloom was shaking a bit – this was it. She was finally going to see them – even if it's not in person it's as close as she'll ever get. They walked in a group, no one said a thing, and no one dared to speak. This was an emotional battle for all of them. Remus hadn't come for years – the pain was too great to bear. Sirius, for him it would be first time since that horrible night. Harry and Bloom – well there were no words for that.

They were standing hand in hand in a snowy lane under a dark blue sky, in which the night's first stars were already glimmering feebly. Cottages stood on either side of the narrow road. A short way ahead of them, a glow of golden streetlights indicated the center of the village.

"Look…." Remus whispered.

Remus was pointing at the war memorial. As they had passed it, it had transformed. Instead of an obelisk covered in names, there was a statue of four people: a man with untidy hair and glasses, a new born baby girl in her father's arms, a woman with long hair and a kind, pretty face, and a baby boy sitting in his mother's arms.

Bloom kept a whine in her throat – she would not cry – not now.

There was a kissing gate at the entrance to the graveyard. Sirius pushed it open as quietly as possible and they edged through it. On either side of the slippery path to the church doors, behind the church, row upon row of snowy tombstones protruded from a blanket of pale blue that was flecked with dazzling red, gold, and green wherever the reflections from the stained glass.

The gravestones were near the back, Bloom's grip on Remus tighten as they got closer. It was made of white marble and even with the morning rays it shined like the brightest star on the sky.

**JAMES POTTER LILY POTTER**

**BORN 27 MARCH 1960 BORN 30 JANUARY 1960**

**DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981 DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981**

**The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.**

"What does that mean?" Harry asked in a husky voice.

"It means Living beyond death…" Sirius answered as tears flowed down – his eyes never left the last momentum to his friends.

Bloom got to her knees slowly – even now she was shaking madly, she couldn't stop it. No matter how hard she tried. "Hello – M- um and D- dad… you're probably wondering who I am… well it's me; Bloom, your daughter. I know I look quite different from last time you – you saw me." She swallowed deeply. "I – I wanted to let you know that we – Harry and I – are okay now. We're living with Sirius and Remus now. It's great, it's the happiest we've been in a long time. I'm going to Hogwarts now – I'm in Gryffindor so is Harry."

"I made Seeker first year Dad." Harry said as he kneed next to Bloom, staring at the headstone. "Pr – professor McGonagall says I'm really good and that you would be – be proud at me…" he had tears on his eyes, "I hope you are. Dad… I – I still get in trouble though. I think I lost hundred and fifty points in one go – but it was to help a friend. I still get good grades though Mum… expect in Potions but that's Snape's fault – he's a git."

Bloom gave him a weak glare as Remus and Sirius chuckled. "I passed all my classes." Bloom stared, "I got O's on all of them – I'm better than Harry."

"Oi!"

"He also tries to get me to do what he tells me too, so I jinxed him…"

Remus and Sirius laughed, they reminded them so much of their parents it was almost scary.

"You don't have to worry about us." Bloom said, "Remus and Sirius will take good care of us and – and I miss you so much…" she swallowed deeply again – here it was. Whatever was going to happen was happening now. Whatever she was going to say was coming now. "I miss you so much and it hurts… it hurts that I can't remember you at all expect when Dementors come near – I want so badly to hold you guys." Bloom buried her nails into the earth. "I want to be able to tell you how much I love you; I don't know how to love you or why I do? I don't know you and yet – and yet you not being here kills me. I just – I just love you so much. I wish you were here. I wish that I was with you right now – but Harry needs me like I need him. I won't give up, I promise but I hope that someday I could see you… even if it's just for a moment…"

* * *

Remus and Sirius apparated Harry and Bloom home, Bloom opened the door – "SURPRISE!"

Bloom let out an ear ringing scream and jumped back, holding onto Sirius; who looked equally surprised as she did, for dear life. Harry and Remus pulled out their wands but when they saw who it was they glared a bit. "You guys gave us a heart attack!"

"Sorry!"

Bloom was trying to get her heart beat back to normal as she hugged the people in her house; the Weasley family, Hermione and Luna. Sure she loved them to death and what they did was extremely sweet but they could have gone without scaring the living daylights out of her. Soon everyone was laughing and eating Mrs. Weasley's wonderful food.

Bloom even met the last remaining Weasley brothers; Bill and Charlie.

Bill, the oldest of all of them, had long hair that was tied into a ponytail and he wore clothes that seemed to be meant for some kind of rock concert, he also had a fang earing on one of his ears. She had heard about him from Ginny how he was the coolest brother ever and he was Head Boy in his day – Bloom had hoped he wasn't like Percy. And he wasn't he really was cool.

Charlie was really tanned – well it looked like he was but it could have been all the freckles on his face that made him seem tan, he had a long burn scar on his muscular arms, his hands seem pretty strong and rough.

Mrs. Weasley also had made her a cake in form of a book on the cover it showed a lily – Bloom knew what it stated – it stated that even if her mother was gone, she was still there with her. Bloom blew out her candles and helped passed out the slices of cake.

Fred and George decided to sit between Bloom and Ginny. But while Bloom and Ginny sat on chairs they sat on a small bench for two people only. Luna sat on Bloom's left – enjoying the party and telling Remus all about her creatures. She told Sirius about Cucuy; a Mexican magical creature that was like the boogie man. He is a small humaniod figure with blood red eyes that resides under the bed or in the closets and when you least expect it – he pops out and eats you, especially when you misbehave. Sirius was now staring around as if he was looking of signs of the Cucuy. Remus seemed to be trying not to laugh at Sirius' cost – but you could tell he was enjoying watching Sirius so jumpy. It made it worse when he told Sirius that it was rumored that the Cucuies would be travelling to Europe soon – Sirius lost all his color and jumped whenever someone had moved.

"So Baby Potter –"

" – how are you?"

"Enjoying your special day? I bet you are."

"Oh yes, I would agree Fred."

"Yes, yes I do… now I think you should go thru with your half of the bet…"

"Don't think we forgot –"

" – a cause we didn't – "

"Now say it… keep your word Little Girl."

Bloom made eye contact with Ginny, both of them nodded at each other. They placed their foot under the twins' bench on the front legs and flipped it causing the twins to fall back – the best part was that both of them were holding their slices of cake near their face so they could eat faster so now they were on the floor with cake on their faces. Everyone turned to look at them when they heard the thump, they saw the twins on the floor with cake on their shocked faces and they laughed as the twins tried to find out what had just happened.

"Fred! George! What did you two do now?" Mrs. Weasley shouted with her hands on her hips.

"Mom! It wasn't us!" they cried as they got to their feet. George was trying to get the cake off when he accidently rubbed cake in his eye. "Ow! Mom there's cake in my eye! Get it out! Mom!"

The party ended when Fred and George sent off fireworks all over the yard, the fireworks took form of a lion chasing a snake. And then a cat that looked a lot like Professor McGonagall. Over all it was the best birthday she ever had.

* * *

The weeks went by quickly and soon it was the night before the world cup. Harry wouldn't shut up about it and talked about it with Sirius all the time causing Bloom and Remus to roll their eyes at them while trying to read a book. It wasn't that Bloom didn't like Quidditch because she did just not some crazy fans like her brother or Oliver Wood. They spent their night drinking hot chocolate – Remus' specialty – and watch a movie; Pirates of the Caribbean. **[I know it's on the wrong time line but I don't know any 90's film – give me a break I was barely born by that time (1990's)] **Sirius would be eyeing Elizabeth Swan while Bloom eyed Orlando Bloom – not that anyone could blame her – Harry loved the action seems, he claimed that they made swordsmanship look easy. Remus narrowed his eyes at that. "What do you know about swordsmanship, Harry?" he asked.

Bloom and Harry gulped as Sirius pause the film and turned to look at them – waiting for an answer. "Ummm… you see…"

"He used a sword to save Ginny from a monster." Bloom said quietly

"What? Ginny – sword? Why?"

"The monster took Ginny and Harry went from her – with Ron."

"Oi! If I'm going down I'm taking you with me!" Bloom glared at him. But Harry continued. "The chamber of secrets was opened…." Harry began to tell them what happened that awful year. He told them how he heard voices and how he found out he could talk to snakes, he told them about the attack but when he got to Bloom's attack he stopped as if he was reliving those moments. Seeing this Bloom continued for him.

"Hermione and I went to the library because she had an idea. She searched the library – I helped of course – and we find out what the monster was; a Basilisk… we ran into Percy's girlfriend and told her what we found out. We used her mirror to look thru corners – I was behind them because I was the youngest – it was their idea, not mine – anyways suddenly they stopped moving and I knew they were petrified. I tried to move them but it – it hit me. I was umm I would say thrown but that's putting it lightly. Next thing I knew Professor Snape was kneeing next to me – healing me – I saw the fear in his face I knew that I – I thought I was going to die." She heard Sirius and Remus give soft gasp. "I had to tell him what the monster was but I couldn't I was so weak. And I fell asleep… I woke up I think a few weeks later."

"One month two weeks and four days." Harry said. Everyone turned to stare at him. "When your sister in on her deathbed you tend to keep track on the days."

Bloom smiled at him. "I woke up and I felt that Ginny needed me. I got up and followed a feeling I was having. I found her – Voldemort possessed her… I followed her into the chamber as she tried to fight me but she was so tired. I held onto her as she passed out. And then Harry came and well…"

"Tom Riddle appeared. He's Voldemort as a teenager. He told me the truth of what he had done to Ginny. Anyways we urged, we fought, and I was able to kill the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor while Bloom threw really strong spells at it, and that it."

"No – you left out the part that Myrtle had a crush on you."

Harry groaned. As Remus and Sirius laughed at him but you could tell them were in for a huge lecture.

* * *

"Bloom wake up."

"Me no wan' too." She yawned. Her brain was asleep at the moment.

"We're going to be late, come one. We have to meet with the Weasleys in ten minutes at their house." Remus's soft voice whispered by her ear as he nudged her to wake up.

"O – okay…" she yawned. "I up… I up…" she was falling asleep as she sat up. Remus left to let her change. She got some hiking pants on and a grey tank top and then put a pale white sweater on and finally her running shoes. She had her bag ready as well – filled with an extra outfit for tomorrow when they travelled back, her night gown and her girl things. Something no one in her family wanted to be seen carrying. _Boys_ or should she say _males? _

Breakfast was slow and quiet even Sirius was having a hard time staying up. Every so often his head would hit the table causing everyone to jump including him and he would shout; I'm up! I'm up. Then the cycle continued.

"Why can't we just apparate there?" Harry asked. Well more like yawned.

"There's too many of us going. We might lose parts behind." Remus said, he seemed like the only one truly awake.

Bloom was half asleep by the time they were ready to go. Sirius had to carry her – she wrapped her arms around his neck as he gave her a piggy back ride. Bloom was trying her best not to fall asleep but it was just so hard. Bloom liked having her nine to ten hours of sleep – she was a growing girl. She didn't even notice when they arrived at the Burrow that is until Mrs. Weasley shouted. "George!"

Bloom jumped and so did everyone else.

"What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.

"What is that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't you lie to me!"

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!"

Several small, brightly coloured objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.

"We told you to destroy them!" said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. "We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!"

It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed find them all.

"Accio! Accio! Accio!" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans.

"We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.

"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!"

All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure.

Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her.

"Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. "I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday,"

It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer.

Bloom walked next to Hermione and Ginny. All of them were yawning and trying to keep up with everyone. Harry and Ron walked side by side while the twins walked behind them. Sirius and Remus walked next to Mr. Weasley.

Harry sped up to walk with Mr. Weasley.

"So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" he asked.

"It's been a massive organizational problem," sighed Mr. Weasley. "The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all. There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three-quarters. So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand. A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up their buses and trains - remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point. For those who don't want to Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys. They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large groups at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up at the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed."

Mr. Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose beyond the village of Ottery St. Catchpole.

"What sort of objects are Portkeys?" asked Bloom curiously from behind.

"Well, they can be anything," said Remus. "Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them… stuff they'll just think is litter…"

Sirius nodded and yawned at the same time.

They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Bloom's hands and feet were freezing.

Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch.

They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass.

"I hate this hill…" Sirius gasped as he helped Bloom pull her foot out of a rabbit hole.

"You're telling me." Bloom whispered. Each breath Bloom took was sharp in her chest and her legs were starting to seize up when, at last, her feet found level ground.

"Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes."

Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side. Ginny looked a bit better but she was panting like the rest of them.

"Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big… Come on…"

They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air.

"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it."

Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

"Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.

Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a mouldy-looking old boot in his other hand.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"

"What do you mean control?" Bloom whispered though no one heard her.

Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts.

Even though Bloom didn't like _like _Cedric but she couldn't help but blush near him. And from the looks of it neither did Ginny or Hermione. It wasn't that he was extremely handsome but he was also really sweet and was really smart. Now only Bloom could find someone like him closer to her age.

"Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all. Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year.

"Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked.

"Not too bad," said Mr. Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?"

"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still… not complaining… Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy…" Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, Bloom and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads expect for Bloom" said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Hermione, friend of Ron's."

"The rest are ours." Sirius said.

"Oh Black! I haven't seen you in years. How have you been?" he asked. "oh! Lupin! I haven't seen you in years either."

Remus had seemed to be trying not to be noticed by him. "Hello Amos."

"Great. I see you haven't changed at all." Sirius answered. "This is Bloom." He placed an arm around Bloom's shoulders.

"Wow you look just like you mother… oh I remember her. Hope you didn't get her temper." He whispered.

Bloom smiled.

"And this is Harry." Remus finished standing next to Harry.

"Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Er - yeah," said Harry.

Harry who was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable.

Bloom's smile faded and glared a bit.

"Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing against you last year… I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will… You beat Harry Potter!"

Harry didn't seem to know what to say so he remained silent. Bloom's glare made her family and the Weasleys nervous – they knew what she was capable of.

Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed.

"Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you… it was an accident…"

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman… but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on; you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!"

"Excuse me?" Bloom asked in a dead whisper. The Weasleys gulped expect for Fred and George, they seemed to be smiling and getting ready for whatever Bloom was about to do. While Remus, Sirius and Harry tried to hold back a whine in their throats. "I'll have you know that Harry _only _fell because he was attacked by Dementors! Over fifty Dementors! I'll like to see you try and stay on your broom if that had happened to you!"

"Well of course I would fly away from them… it's the smart thing to do. Your brother should have done that from the beginning."

Bloom snapped. Everyone could clearly see that she had. Fred and George's smiles increased. They had been scowling at Mr. Diggory but noting that Bloom had finally snapped the smiles came back.

"Smart thing to do?" she shrieked. Everyone expect Mr. Diggory took a step back. Cedric looked worried for his dad but stayed silent. "You do know what happens when those things get near us!"

"Bloom, don't." Harry whispered.

"No! He should hear this! He needs to get his facts straight! Cedric is a good person and asked for a rematch because he understood but clearly you don't! When Dementors come near us Harry hears our parent's final moments! And I hear and _see_ it!" Everyone gasped around her expect for Harry, who was looking at the sky. "You try stands on your damn broomstick while hearing your mother's pleads to save you! To hear Voldemort kill her and his laughter! So can you please stop reminding us of that! Harry doesn't think about defeat when they talk about that match! So shut it!"

Everyone stayed quiet as Bloom panted. Mr. Diggory didn't seem to know what to say. All of his color was gone and he looked like he was trying to apologized but Bloom wouldn't hear it. She turned away from him and glared at the scene in front of her.

Mr. Weasley coughed. "It's time… hold onto the Portkey." Everyone did what he asked. Sirius held a tight grip on Bloom since there wasn't enough room for everyone. Fred held onto Ginny and Hermione had to hold onto Ron; just like Ginny and Bloom planned. Ron and Hermione's faces seemed to match the rising sun.

"Three…" muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, 'two… one…"

It happened immediately: Bloom felt as though a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward.

Bloom was lifted off her feet and felt like she was being tossed around the air with Sirius. She felt someone bump into her back. Then her feet hit the ground – she was sure if Sirius hadn't been holding her she would have fallen.

Mr. Weasley, Remus, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a

* * *

**Okay – there it is people! I wrote as much I could. I know Bloom's shout out was a bit much but she's emotional. She's on her second cycle and you know we get quite emotional during that time. Please thank my Beta MIRA SSSB.**


	44. Camping

**IMPORTANT NEWS**

**Okay I'm going to try to write a few chapters in advance, I hope I'll be able to do it. I won't update though until I get around 6 to 10 reviews. It's not much considering the number of people that read this story. I'm sorry to do this but I figured it'll be the only way you would review.**

**Also Read ****Artist 111**** stories – they are super good. I love all the stories**

**ksomm814**** has amazing stories, he/she updates once a month but it's so worth the wait. I love the story; Unknown Relations series (there's four out so far) and Journal from Hayden Potter. It goes a long with Unknown Relations. You must read Unknown Relations first and then Journal from Hayden Potter – trust me. It's in order that way…**

**abbzeh**** reading Harry Potter stories are good too.**

* * *

**Camping**

* * *

They had arrived on what appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. In front of them was a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of whom was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill. Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly: The man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.

"Morning, Basil," said Mr. Weasley, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Portkeys beside him; Bloom could see an old newspaper, an empty drinks can, and a punctured football.

"Hello there, Arthur," said Basil wearily. "Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some… We've been here all night… You'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite… Weasley… Weasley…" He consulted his parchment list. "About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr. Roberts. Diggory… second field… ask for Mr. Payne."

"Thanks, Basil," said Mr. Weasley, and he beckoned everyone to follow him. They set off across the deserted moor, unable to make out much through the mist.

After about twenty minutes, a small stone cottage next to a gate swam into view. Beyond it, Bloom could just make out the ghostly shapes of hundreds and hundreds of tents, rising up the gentle slope of a large field toward a dark wood on the horizon. They said good-bye to the Diggorys – Bloom only waved at Cedric – and approached the cottage door. A man was standing in the doorway, looking out at the tents. Bloom knew at a glance that this was the only real Muggle for several acres.

When she heard their footsteps, she turned her head to look at them.

"Morning!" said Mr. Weasley brightly.

"Morning," said the Muggle.

"Would you be Mr. Roberts?"

"Aye, I would," said Mr. Roberts. "And who're you?"

"Weasley - two tents, booked a couple of days ago?"

"Aye," said Mr. Roberts, consulting a list tacked to the door. "You've got a space up by the wood there. Just the one night?"

"That's it," said Mr. Weasley.

"You'll be paying now, then?" said Mr. Roberts.

"Ah - right - certainly -" said Mr. Weasley. He retreated a short distance from the cottage and beckoned Harry toward him. "Help me, Harry," he muttered, pulling a roll of Muggle money from his pocket and starting to peel the notes apart. "This one's a - a - a ten? Ah yes, I see the little number on it now… So this is a five?"

Bloom was trying her best not the blush at the situation, Mr. Roberts kept staring at them funny. Remus was smiling at the scene while Sirius tried to hide a laugh with a cough.

Foreign?" repeated Mr. Weasley, puzzled.

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley nervously.

Mr. Roberts rummaged around in a tin for some change.

"Never been this crowded," he said suddenly, looking out over the misty field again. "Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up…"

"Is that right?" said Mr. Weasley, his hand held out for his change, but Mr. Roberts didn't give it to him.

"Aye," he said thoughtfully. "People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and a poncho."

Bloom let out a giggle.

"Shouldn't he?" said Mr. Weasley anxiously

"It's like some sort of… I dunno… like some sort of rally," said Mr. Roberts. "They all seem to know each other. Like a big party."

At that moment, a wizard in plus-fours appeared out of thin air next to Mr. Roberts's front door.

"Obliviate!" he said sharply, pointing his wand at Mr. Roberts.

Instantly, Mr. Roberts's eyes slid out of focus, his brows unknitted, and had a dreamy unconcern fell over his face. Bloom recognized the symptoms of one who had just had his memory modified.

"A map of the campsite for you," Mr. Roberts said placidly to Mr. Weasley. "And your change."

"Thanks very much," said Mr. Weasley.

The wizard in plus-fours accompanied them toward the gate to the campsite. He looked exhausted: His chin was blue with stubble and there were deep purple shadows under his eyes.

Once out of earshot of Mr. Roberts, he muttered to Mr. Weasley, "Been having a lot of trouble with him. Needs a Memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping. Trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice, not a worry about anti-Muggle security. Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over. See you later, Arthur." He Disapparated.

"I thought Mr. Bagman was Head of Magical Games and Sports," said Ginny, looking surprised. "He should know better than to talk about Bludgers near Muggles, shouldn't he?"

"He should," said Mr. Weasley, smiling, and leading them through the gates into the campsite, "but Ludo's always been a bit… well… lax about security.

"Isn't dangerous to keep doing the memory charm on one person?" Bloom asked Remus, "He won't have any problems?"

"Not that I know of – as long as they just wipe a little not a lot… memory charms can be really tricky. They need to be careful."

"Are we there yet?" Sirius asked – well whined.

Remus and Bloom rolled their eyes. "Sirius, you're worse than a two year one." Remus said.

"I am not." Sirius pouted, "I'm just tired… I didn't think it we would be walking for so long… if only I was in shape ag – " he stopped talking and stood still. Everyone turned to look at him. Sirius seemed to be in shock, his mouth was slightly mouth as he looked around with his eyes. "I – I saw…"

"Sirius, what is it?" Harry asked

Sirius swallowed and thinned his lips. "It's – I think it's nothing. Never mind, let's just go…" slowly everyone began to walk again. Harry, Bloom and Remus would still glace at Sirius every once in a while.

* * *

Sirius walked but not really knowing where he was going. He knew he saw it – it just had to be – but I wasn't possible. Was it? It's been years, there was no way it was – but could it be? The world was full of mystery and magic, so why couldn't this be possible? But dare he hope – no, he couldn't. He had sealed those memories away from himself.

From his heart and mind

But even in Azkaban those memories came out – the Dementors took his happy memories of that time, of his moments with – no he would not say it. And then one of his worse memories came out, not the one when James and Lily died, no that had been _the_ worse. But the second was during his last year in Hogwarts. That year was the happiest of his life – he had everything he ever wanted. His best friends including Lily, he was so happy when she finally started going out James. But he also had one thing – that one thing made him feel like he was floating in air, like he could walk on water without magic. But they had taken that from him – no matter how fast he tried to run, they took – no, he wouldn't name it out.

He hurt too much.

He blocked it all out – every moment, every feeling. He blocked them all out – it was better that way. That way he wouldn't feel it; the emptiness in his soul.

He smiled as he watched the twins make a bet with Bloom and Ginny.

* * *

Remus and Sirius bought an extra tent for them and Mr. Weasley to share. They had three in total; the second one was for the boys: Harry, Ron, and the Twins plus Percy… Charlie and Bill were going to share with Sirius and Remus since there wouldn't be much room with the boys. The last tent would be for the girls… it was smaller than the rest but it was good enough.

"Oh come on." Bloom huffed, "that's not fair! You know how to build a tent we don't!"

The twins wanted to bet two of their own inventions on whoever built the tent first would be the best camper ever. Girls versus boys… it was a matter of pride now. Bloom and Ginny wanted to take the bet but they had no idea how to build a tent and because of the rules, they couldn't get help from the others. If the girls lost they had to feed the twins and make their bed. Bloom didn't think that was fair but try telling that to Fred and George.

Bloom and Ginny pulled this out; there was sticks or were they poles? A long cloth but she wasn't sure. What were the nails for anyway? Ginny put two poles together and Bloom did the same and then placed the cloth over it but it didn't work. It fell. "Do you have rope?" Ginny asked

"No… this is crazy. How do you do this?"

"Need any help?" asked a voice behind them.

Bloom and Ginny turned around and came face to face with Terry Boot and another black – haired boy that Bloom didn't know. "T – Terry?" Bloom stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

Terry gave her a small grin. "To watch the World Cup…"

Bloom blushed. "Oh... right, you just surprised me… and yes please."

"Oi! Bloom we said no asking for help!" yelled George under the tent that seemed to have fallen on him.

"We didn't ask for help." Ginny said. "They offered to help us… That's not against the rules."

Together all four of them worked together. Terry's friend turned out to be Michael Corner. He seemed to be interested in Ginny – not that Ginny noticed that… Bloom knew that Ginny hoped to have a future relationship with Harry. Truth be told – Bloom hoped for it too. She would love that in fact… but Ginny told Bloom that Hermione to Ginny that she should loosen up, start acting like herself in front of Harry. It did sound like a good plan – either way something might happen… maybe she could give Harry a push in the right direction.

"Terry, where does this go?" Bloom asked holding a long pointy pole thingy.

"Here in this knob, here pass it…" Terry held his hand out

Bloom passed it and accidently brushed her hand on his… she felt the blood rise in her face, she also saw him tense for a bit. But Ginny and Michael laughter broke through her. They seemed not to even notice Bloom and Terry – Bloom wasn't sure it that was a good thing or not… "So…" Terry started. "How did you do in your classes?" Bloom knew he was trying to break the tension.

"Good… I passed all of them with top grades… Remus was really happy. So was Sirius but he was teasing me on being a bookworm…" she giggled. "That is until Remus turned his hair color to green."

Together Bloom and Terry were able to build the tent while Ginny and Michael held it together. It looked like a normal muggle tent – big enough for one person though. Terry seemed to know what she was thinking… "It's a magical tent Bloom." He explained. "From the outside it looks really small but inside it's a roomy place. Check it out…" Bloom placed by the flappy doors.

She had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three rooms flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen. Oddly enough, it was furnished in exactly the same sort of style as Mrs. Figg's house: There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs.

Bloom placed her pack on the closest bed. She wished she could take a shower… and then she remembered!

She ran out the tent and almost dumped into Terry. "Sorry!" and then turned to the twins. "Pay up! We got our tent up first."

Ginny jumped to Bloom's side. "I almost forgot… now you guys pay up. We won fair and square."

The twins were tangled with the tent and something that looked like mud. Bloom heard them mumble something as they tried to untangle themselves, only making it worse. Fred seemed to be able to get to his feet but as soon as he took a step, he fell forward causing Bloom and the others to laugh out loud. Bloom and Ginny had to hold onto each other as they laughed.

Bloom only wished Harry would hurry up with the water.

* * *

"You've been ages," said George when Harry, Ron and Hermione finally got back to the Weasleys' tents.

"Met a few people," said Ron, setting the water down.

"You've not got that fire started yet?"

"Dad's having fun with the matches," said Fred.

Mr. Weasley was having no success at all in lighting the fire, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Splintered matches littered the ground around him, but he looked as though he was having the time of his life.

"A first year in Honeydukes," Sirius laughed fondly as Remus chuckled.

"Oops!" he said as he managed to light a match and promptly dropped it in surprise.

Bloom giggled in her seat between Sirius and Remus.

"Come here, Mr. Weasley," said Hermione kindly, taking the box from him, and showing him how to do it properly.

At last they got the fire lit, though it was at least another hour before it was hot enough to cook anything. There was plenty to watch while they waited, however. Their tent seemed to be pitched right alongside a kind of thoroughfare to the field, and Ministry members kept hurrying up and down it, greeting Mr. Weasley cordially as they passed.

Mr. Weasley kept up a running commentary, mainly for Bloom's, Harry's and Hermione's benefit; his own children knew too much about the Ministry to be greatly interested.

"That was Cuthbert Mockridge, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office… Here comes Gilbert Wimple; he's with the Committee on Experimental Charms; he's had those horns for a while now… Hello, Arnie… Arnold Peasegood, he's an Obliviator - member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, you know… and that's Bode and Croaker… they're Unspeakables…"

"They're what?"

"From the Department of Mysteries, top secret, no idea what they get up to…"

At last, the fire was ready, and they had just started cooking eggs and sausages when Bill, Charlie, and Percy came strolling out of the woods toward them.

"Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!"

Bloom and Sirius rolled their eyes at Percy while Remus gave them a warning look which they smiled innocently too.

They were halfway through their plates of eggs and sausages when Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding toward them.

"Aha!" he said. "The man of the moment! Ludo!"

Ludo Bagman was easily the most noticeable person Harry had seen so far, even including old Archie in his flowered nightdress. He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black.

An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, Bloom thought), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy.

"Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet and was plainly in a state of wild excitement.

"Arthur, old man," he puffed as he reached the campfire, "what a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming… and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements… Not much for me to do!"

Behind him, a group of haggard-looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a magical fire that was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air.

Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched. This time everyone expect Mr. Weasley rolled their eyes. Apparently his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him from wanting to make a good impression.

"Ah - yes," said Mr. Weasley, grinning, "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry - and this is Fred - no, George, sorry - that's Fred – Bill, Charlie, Ron - my daughter, Ginny and Ron's friends, Hermione Granger."

"And you already know who we are." Sirius said. The look in his eyes seemed to be a bit cold. Bloom was sure he didn't like him much.

Bagman eyes performed the familiar flick upward to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Everyone," Mr. Weasley continued, "this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it's thanks to him we've got such good tickets -"

Bagman beamed and waved his hand as if to say it had been nothing.

"Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" he said eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow-and-black robes.

"I've already got Roddy Pontner betting me Bulgaria will score first - I offered him nice odds, considering Ireland's front three are the strongest I've seen in years - and little Agatha Timms has put up half shares in her eel farm on a weeklong match."

"Oh…go on then," said Mr. Weasley. "Let's see…a Galleon on Ireland to win?"

"A Galleon?" Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed, but recovered himself. "Very well, very well…any other takers?"

"They're a bit young to be gambling," said Mr. Weasley. "Molly wouldn't like -"

"We'll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts," said Fred as he and George quickly pooled all their money, "that Ireland wins - but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch.

Oh and we'll throw in a fake wand."

"You don't want to go showing Mr. Bagman rubbish like that," Percy hissed, but Bagman didn't seem to think the wand was rubbish at all; on the contrary, his boyish face shone with excitement as he took it from Fred, and when the wand gave a loud squawk and turned into a rubber chicken, Bagman roared with laughter.

"That is very impressive." Remus said as he eyed the fake wand. While Sirius laughed as Bagman waved the rubber chicken.

"Boys," said Mr. Weasley under his breath, "I don't want you betting… That's all your savings… Your mother -"

"Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!" boomed Ludo Bagman, rattling his pockets excitedly. "They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Ireland will win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance, boys, not a chance… I'll give you excellent odds on that one… We'll add five Galleons for the funny wand, then, shall we…"

Mr. Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped out a notebook and quill and began jotting down the twins' names.

"Cheers," said George, taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away carefully. Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr. Weasley.

"Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch." Sirius gave a low growl. "My Bulgarian opposite number's making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages."

"Mr. Crouch?" said Percy, suddenly abandoning his look of poker-stiff disapproval and positively writhing with excitement.

"He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll…"

"Anyone can speak Troll," said Fred dismissively. "All you have to do is point and grunt."

Bloom and Ginny giggled as Sirius and George tried to hide a laugh with a loud cough.

Percy threw Fred an extremely nasty look and stoked the fire vigorously to bring the kettle back to the boil.

"Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo?" Mr. Weasley asked as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all.

"Not a dicky bird," said Bagman comfortably. "But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha… memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office sometime in October, thinking it's still July."

"You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr. Weasley suggested tentatively as Percy handed Bagman his tea.

Barty Crouch keeps saying that," said Bagman, his round eyes widening innocently, "but we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh - talk of the devil! Barty!"

A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could not have made more of a contrast with Ludo Bagman, sprawled on the grass in his old Wasp robes. Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, elderly man, dressed in an impeccably crisp suit and tie. The parting in his short gray hair was almost unnaturally straight, and his narrow toothbrush moustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide rule.

His shoes were very highly polished. Bloom could see at once why Percy idolized him. Percy was a great believer in rigidly following rules, and Mr. Crouch had complied with the rule about Muggle dressing so thoroughly that he could have passed for a bank manager; Bloom doubted even Uncle Vernon would have spotted him for what he really was.

But it didn't mean that Bloom liked him. In fact, she wanted nothing more but to set his hair on fire for imprisoning Sirius without a trial. She glanced at Sirius who seemed to be trying to collect himself. He got up and entered his tent; Remus seemed to be keeping his eyes on Sirius's back until he was out of sight.

"Pull up a bit of grass, Barty," said Ludo brightly, patting the ground beside him.

"No thank you, Ludo," said Crouch, and there was a bite of impatience in his voice. "I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box."

"Oh is that what they're after?" said Bagman. "I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent."

"Mr. Crouch!" said Percy breathlessly, sunk into a kind of halfbow that made him look like a hunchback. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh," said Mr. Crouch, looking over at Percy in mild surprise. "Yes - thank you, Weatherby."

Fred and George choked into their own cups. As Bloom choked on her tea, Remus chuckled as he patted Bloom's back. Bloom had tears in her eyes due to the choking, she didn't look up but she knew that Percy was blushing.

"Oh and I've been wanting a word with you too, Arthur," said Mr. Crouch, his sharp eyes falling upon Mr. Weasley.

"Ali Bashir's on the warpath. He wants a word with you about your embargo on flying carpets."

Mr. Weasley heaved a deep sigh.

"I sent him an owl about that just last week. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times: Carpets are defined as a Muggle Artifact by the Registry of Proscribed Charmable Objects, but will he listen?"

"I doubt it," said Mr. Crouch, accepting a cup from Percy. "He's desperate to export here."

"Well, they'll never replace brooms in Britain, will they?" said Bagman.

"Ali thinks there's a niche in the market for a family vehicle," said Mr. Crouch.

"I remember my grandfather had an Axminster that could seat twelve - but that was before carpets were banned, of course." He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law.

"So, been keeping busy, Barty?" said Bagman breezily.

"Fairly," said Mr. Crouch dryly. "Organizing Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo."

"I expect you'll both be glad when this is over?" said Mr. Weasley.

Ludo Bagman looked shocked. "Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun… Still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to take forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organize, eh?"

Mr. Crouch raised his eyebrows at Bagman.

"We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details -"

"Oh details!" said Bagman, waving the word away like a cloud of midges. "They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts -"

"Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know," said Mr. Crouch sharply, cutting Bagman's remarks short. "Thank you for the tea, Weatherby."

Bloom turned and buried her face into Remus' shoulder – trying to hold back her laughter. She could feel Remus shake a bit as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"See you all later!" he said. "You'll be up in the Top Box with me - I'm commentating!" He waved, Barty Crouch nodded curtly, and both of them Disapparated.

"What's happening at Hogwarts, Dad?" said Fred at once. "What were they talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough," said Mr. Weasley, smiling.

"It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry decides to release it," said Percy stiffly. "Mr. Crouch was quite right not to disclose it."

"Oh shut up, Weatherby," said Fred.

A sense of excitement rose like a palpable cloud over the campsite as the afternoon wore on.

By dusk, the still summer air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation, and as darkness spread like a curtain over the thousands of waiting wizards, the last vestiges of pretence disappeared: the Ministry seemed to have bowed to the inevitable and stopped fighting the signs of blatant magic now breaking out everywhere. Salesmen were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pushing carts full of extraordinary merchandise. There were luminous rosettes - green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria - which were squealing the names of the players, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, flags from both countries that played their national anthems as they were waved; there were tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves.

Sirius got three pairs of Omnioculars while Harry got one for Ron and himself.

Their money bags considerably lighter, they went back to the tents. Bill, Charlie, and Ginny were all sporting green rosettes too, and Mr. Weasley was carrying an Irish flag. Fred and George had no souvenirs as they had given Bagman all their gold.

And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the field.

"It's time!" said Mr. Weasley, looking as excited as any of them. "Come on, let's go!"

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**Okay… I wrote 16 pages. My fingers hurt a lot… please review. I'm working on the next chapter now. I'm so tired… please update and thank my Beta Mira SSSB**


	45. The Quidditch Cup

**Hello everyone,**

**I'm sick right now so I'm going to be to a bit slow… **

_**Italics is when they are speaking Bulgarian**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

* * *

**The Quidditch World Cup**

* * *

Clutching their purchases, Mr. Weasley in the lead, they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of singing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; Bloom saw that Harry and the rest of the guys couldn't stop grinning.

"Hold onto my hand Bloom." Sirius told her. He had a tight grip on her while Remus stood close to Harry.

They walked through the wood for twenty minutes, talking and joking loudly, until at last they emerged on the other side and found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium. Though Bloom could see only a fraction of the immense gold walls surrounding the field, she could tell that ten cathedrals would fit comfortably inside it.

"Seats a hundred thousand," said Mr. Weasley, spotting the awestruck look on Bloom and Harry's face.

"Ministry task force of five hundred have been working on it all year. Muggle Repelling Charms on every inch of it. Every time Muggles have got anywhere near here all year, they've suddenly remembered urgent appointments and had to dash away again… bless them," he added fondly,

Bloom giggled.

Mr. Weasley led the way toward the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards.

"Prime seats!" said the Ministry witch at the entrance when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go."

The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich purple. They clambered upward with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into the stands to their left and right. Mr. Weasley's party kept climbing, and at last they reached the top of the staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goal posts.

About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs stood in two rows here, and Bloom, filing into the front seats with the Weasleys, looked down upon a scene the likes of which she could never have imagined. Though she was sure Luna could, she wished Luna and her father could sit with them.

Now that she thought about it, she wondered where Abe and his friends were sitting and Terry.

A hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats, which rose in levels around the long oval field. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light, which seemed to come from the stadium itself.

The field looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the field stood three goal hoops, fifty feet high; right opposite them, almost at Bloom's eye level, was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing kept dashing across it as though an invisible giant's hand were scrawling upon the blackboard and then wiping it off again; watching it, Bloom saw that it was flashing advertisements across the field.

The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family - safe, reliable, and with Built-in Anti-Burgler Buzzer…

Mrs. Shower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover: No Pain, No Stain!… Gladrags Wizardwear - London, Paris, Hogsmeade…

Mr. Weasley sat down; Ginny sat on his right, beside her was Fred and then George and then Percy and then Charlie and then finally Bill. Ron sat on Mr. Weasley's left. Hermione sat next to him and then Harry. Remus sat next to Harry, while Bloom sat between Remus and Sirius.

Bloom looked over her shoulder to see who else was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them. The creature, whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands. Yet those long, batlike ears were oddly familiar…

"Dobby?" Harry said what she was thinking.

The tiny creature looked up and stretched its fingers, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato.

"Did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf curiously from between its fingers. Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice, and Bloom suspected – though it was very hard to tell with a house-elf – that this one might just be female.

"Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew."

"But I knows Dobby too, sir!" squeaked the elf.

She was shielding her face, as though blinded by light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit.

My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir -" Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar. "You is surely Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, I am," said Harry.

Then Winky turned to Bloom. "You is Bloom Potter!"

"Um… yes."

"But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir and madam!" she said, lowering her hands very slightly and looking awestruck.

"How is he?" said Harry. "How's freedom suiting him?"

"Ah, sir," said Winky, shaking her head, "ah sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favour, sir, when you is setting him free."

Why?" said Harry, taken aback.

"What's wrong with him?" Bloom asked. She remembered when Harry told her that he freed Dobby, a week later. She never got to say goodbye.

"Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir," said Winky sadly. "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir."

"Why not?" said Harry.

Winky lowered her voice by a half-octave and whispered, "He is wanting paying for his work, sir."

Bloom was confused, what was wrong with that?

"Paying?" said Harry blankly. "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?"

Winky looked quite horrified at the idea and closed her fingers slightly so that her face was half-hidden again.

"House-elves is not paid, sir!" she said in a muffled squeak. "No, no, no. I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin."

"Well, it's about time he had a bit of fun," said Harry.

"After what he's gone thru, he should have fun." Bloom said.

"House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter," said Winky firmly, from behind her hands. "House-elves does what they is told. I is not liking heights at all, Harry Potter, Bloom Potter."

- she glanced toward the edge of the box and gulped - "but my master sends me to the Top Box and I comes, sir."

"Why's he sent you up here, if he knows you don't like heights?" said Harry, frowning.

Whoever was he 'master' was not a very nice one. Bloom thought.

"Master - master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter, Bloom Potter. He is very busy," said Winky, tilting her head toward the empty space beside her. "Winky is wishing she is back in master's tent, Harry Potter, Bloom Potter, but Winky does what she is told. Winky is a good house-elf."

She gave the edge of the box another frightened look and hid her eyes completely again.

Bloom turned to Remus, "Isn't something we can do? I mean – she looks so scared."

Remus signed. "I'm afraid not."

"House – elves are – well they're really powerful but their 'masters' stop them from getting too strong. We treat ours right but some families don't. Like my mother. She had a house – elf evil as her."

Hermione, meanwhile, was skimming eagerly through her velvet covered, tasselled program.

"'A display from the team mascots will precede the match,'" she read aloud.

"Oh that's always worth watching," said Mr. Weasley. "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show."

Sirius was watching as his family enjoyed themselves and then – from the corner of his eyes, he saw it again. That shade of – no this was not happening to him now. But even so he looked around, hoping in some way that it was true… that it really was…

The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards. Percy jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he were trying to sit on a hedgehog.

When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, arrived, Percy bowed so low that his glasses fell off and shattered.

Sirius seemed to be holding back a chuckle by biting on his fist. Bloom turned away so they couldn't see her smile.

Percy, highly embarrassed, he repaired them with his wand and thereafter remained in his seat, throwing jealous looks at Harry, whom Cornelius Fudge had greeted like an old friend.

"Harry Potter, you know," he told the Bulgarian minister loudly, who was wearing splendid robes of black velvet trimmed with gold and didn't seem to understand a word of English. "Harry Potter…oh come on now, you know who he is… the boy who survived You-Know-Who…you do know who he is -"

The Bulgarian wizard suddenly spotted Harry's scar and started gabbling loudly and excitedly, pointing at it. "Knew we'd get there in the end," said Fudge wearily to Harry. And then turned to Bloom, "This is Bloom Potter… his younger sister and also a very gifted witch… yes; she would be a great witch. She has elemental powers… it's been years maybe centuries since an elemental witch was known of. yes, yes; she will be strong."

The Bulgarian wizard stared at Bloom in a way she thought he had understood every word.

"And these are their guardians. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black…"

Remus and Sirius stood up. "_How do you do?" _Remus said._ "I am Remus Lupin."_

"_And I am Sirius Black; this idiot and his people prisoned me without a trial…" _he pointed at the Minister. _"Be careful, he might send you to Azkaban for sneezing in front of him."_

Bloom saw Remus roll his eyes._ "Please do mind him. He's still mad about it, as of all of us. If you need help translating something, we're glad to help. It's horrible that our own Minister doesn't understand anything."_

The Bulgarian wizard smiled._ "I am sorry about your wrong imprisoning. I'll let you in a little secret…" _Sirius and Remus leaned closer._ "I do know English, I just don't want to talk to him and it's funny to see him struggle."_

Whatever he had said sent Sirius and Remus into laughing fits. Remus had covered his mouth to try to control his laughter; Sirius didn't seem to care and laughed as loud as he could. Neither of them answered Bloom's or Harry' confused stares.

And then Bloom saw it. Lucius Malfoy; his son, Draco; and a woman Bloom supposed must be Draco's mother. Harry and Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since their very first journey to Hogwarts, as Harry had told Bloom all about Draco Malfoy; a pale boy with a pointed face and white-blond hair, Draco greatly resembled his father.

His mother was blonde too; tall and slim, she would have been nice-looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose.

Ah, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy, holding out his hand as he reached the Minister of Magic. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?"

"How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Mrs. Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk - Obalonsk - Mr. - well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. I can't seem to find the Lady from America; she's here to discuss things about America and Mexico, since she represents both of them. And let's see who else - you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?"

It was a tense moment.

Sirius was staring blankly at Draco's mother. A hint of hate was in his eyes.

Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy looked at each other and Bloom vividly recalled the last time they had come face-to-face: It had been in Flourish and Blotts' bookshop, and they had had a fight. That was an amazing day.

Mr. Malfoy's cold gray eyes swept over Mr. Weasley, and then up and down the row.

"Good lord, Arthur," he said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?"

Bloom and the rest glared at him. Sirius finally said something; "I wouldn't talk like that if I were you Lucy…"

Everyone stared between Sirius and Lucy?

Mr. Malfoy glared. "That infernal voice could only belong to you, Black." Everyone's attention was on them; expect for Fudge.

Sirius placed a hand on over his heart. "Aw, Lucy; I didn't know you cared so much about me." He smiled sweetly. "Why else would you still know my voice after so long? Oh but I knew you loved me, Lucy…" then Sirius turned his eyes to Mrs. Malfoy. "I am disappointed in you Cissy… I would have thought you had better taste in men. It's a shame you could teach your – child better manners. From what I hear he was said quite dirty words, he is the shame of all pure bloods… and your husband is a low life death eater." He spat out.

Mr. Malfoy looked ready to pull out his wand but Fudge turned around from the Minister of Bulgaria; who happen to be listening to Sirius instead of Fudge. He stared at the Malfoy family in disgust.

"Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur." Fudge said. He's here as my guest."

"How - how nice," said Mr. Weasley, with a very strained smile.

Mr. Malfoy's eyes had returned to Hermione, who went slightly pink, but stared determinedly back at him.

Bloom knew exactly what was making Mr. Malfoy's lip curl like that.

The Malfoys prided themselves on being purebloods; in other words, they considered anyone of Muggle descent, like Hermione, second-class.

Bloom had enough of this. "Minister, I think Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy might be ill." She said making everyone turn to her in surprise and then turned to the surprised Mrs. Malfoy. While they turned away Bloom waved her hand a made a small fire on the back of Draco's cloak; the smell of burning silk and rubber would be smelled soon. "They have this horrible look on this faces… like they're seriously ill. Are you alright Mrs. Malfoy? You look like you smelled something extremely unpleasant but it can't be us because we are good people and wash everyday – I know that in the old ways – well wizard way, pure bloods only shower once a week because of plumbing. Tell me Draco, did you shower today?"

Her family and friends looked like they were trying not to laugh at the scene.

"We are clean girl." Mr. Malfoy shouted. "We are not ill in any way!"

Bloom placed a hand on her mouth and gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to call you horrible looking or ill… I was only trying to help." She said in an innocent and scared tone. She made small tears appear in her eyes; anyone that would look at her would just see a man yelling at an innocent little girl who only was trying to help. In fact that was what the people around them were thinking.

Some people were glaring at the Malfoys' others were looking at Bloom with worried expressions.

"Now there is no need to yell at the poor girl." Fudge said placing a hand on Bloom's shoulder. "She was only worried for you and your family. There should be more people like her in this world."

The Malfoy family quickly turned and walked away. Everyone sat down again. Fred and George were staring at her with a smile glued to their faces; there was a gleam in their eyes, something close to respect. Ginny was giggling with Hermione while Harry and Ron laughed. Remus and Mr. Weasley were smiling proudly. Bill and Charlie were trying to hide their laughter with a coughing fit while Sirius hugged her and said; "That's my girl! Show them what you got from your parents!"

A small part of her wondered when the small flame ran out.

Just then there was a cheer. Bloom looked into the field and saw a teenage boy standing in the middle. His face was put up on the big screen. He had wavy black hair and deep hazel eyes that looked that it had more grey than brown or green. He was really good looking too. She heard some girl around her gasp; "It's Matthew Greyback." The plate floor he stood on, rise into the air and was leveled with her seat. He had musicians around him and dancers. Then the music started to play.

_Huh, Yeah, Red One _

_Huh, Lets do it again _

_Yayayay _

_Ohh _

_Just watch me girl _

_Be ready, I'm coming for you _

_My body just felt it I knew, tonight is the start of something new _

_The way you dance, makes we wanna get down and show you _

_that we can become one, not two _

_As we move to this beat like crazy _

_Move it, move it, move it, move it _

_Let's rock it, rock it, rock it, rock it _

_We can even pop it, pop it, pop it _

_Tonight is on _

_Woo!_

The dancers were moving around the stage as it spun around, the girls seemed to be over powering the guys in their dance moves. They wore clothes that would make them fit in a night club of some sort.

_Girls step up to the party _

_grab a boy and move your body _

_Do like me and my honey _

_Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Ooh _

_Boys step up to the party _

_grab a girl and move your body _

_Do like me and my shorty _

_Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Ooh _

_Yayayay_

Matthew Greyback sang his song with passion and danced like he was born to dance like Harry was born to fly. Bloom could barely hear the song due to the girls screams, shouts and yells. There were even some proposes of marriage shouted out. Bloom knew he was cute but come on! You didn't even know the guy and you wanted to marry him? That was just so silly to her. And then his eyes landed on her.

_Ohh _

_It feels like, we've been doing this for years _

_The crowd is reflecting our moves, amazing what a beat can do _

_Now follow me (follow me), and pop that body clap your hands _

_Turn around on one two (say: Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Ooh) _

_Move it, move it, move it, move it _

_Let's rock it, rock it, rock it, rock it _

_We can even pop it, pop it, pop it _

_Tonight is on _

_Woo!_

He was staring at her with curiosity; probably because she was the only one not really screaming or jumping up and down or smiling like a love stuck girl. His grey hazel eyes stared into hers… she felt like he was singing the song to her – but that was probably what he wanted her to think so she stared calming back at him, showing him that it wasn't affect her at all. That seemed to make him smile at her.

_Baby look at us, the way we move _

_from side to side, it's all so smooth _

_With every step we take, it just get better _

_Girl no doubt we got it together _

_Baby look at us, the way we move _

_from side to side, it's all so smooth (Ohh) _

_With every step we take, it just get better _

_Girl no doubt we got it together _

_Girls step up to the party _

_grab a boy and move your body _

_Do like me and my honey _

_Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Ooh_

As his stage went down, he never took his eyes off her, even when the announced shouted; "It looks like Matthew has taken an interest on someone! Ooooh! I wonder who's the lucky lady is?" after the stage landed he was still staring at her direction. On the big screen he winked at her and smiled and then finally walked away.

"Well – I know who he likes." Sirius said with a small frown on his face.

Bloom rolled his eyes. "He was only looking at me because I'm Harry Potter's sister and the only known elemental witch known since the past few centuries." Barely noticing that now, Bloom felt dumb for thinking that he might have been interested in her. But she quickly overcame that.

Next moment, Ludo Bagman charged into the box.

"Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. "Minister - ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Ludo," said Fudge comfortably.

Ludo whipped out his wand, directed it at his own throat, and said "Sonorus!" and then spoke over the roar of sound that was now filling the packed stadium; his voice echoed over them, booming into every corner of the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen…welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

The spectators screamed and clapped. Thousands of flags waved, adding their discordant national anthems to the racket. The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clear of its last message (Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans - A Risk With Every Mouthful!) and now showed BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce…the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

The right-hand side of the stands, which was a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval.

"I wonder what they've brought," said Mr. Weasley, leaning forward in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!"

"What are Veela?" Bloom asked.

She saw Remus and Sirius put their fingers in their ears.

Veela were women that were really beautiful, a little too much beautiful to be human. Their skin was shine moon and their white-gold hair fan around them as they danced with the music. She saw Harry getting ready to stand up. She was confused on what he was doing. And then the music stopped – "Harry, what are you doing?" said Hermione

Ron was frozen in an attitude that looked as though he were about to dive from a springboard.

Angry yells were filling the stadium. The crowd didn't want the veela to go. Ron, meanwhile, was absentmindedly shredding the shamrocks on his hat. Mr. Weasley, smiling slightly, leaned over to Ron and tugged the hat out of his hands.

"You'll be wanting that," he said, "once Ireland have had their say."

"Huh?" said Ron, staring openmouthed at the veela, who had now lined up along one side of the field.

Hermione made a loud tutting noise. She reached up and pulled Harry back into his seat. "Honestly!" she said.

"What just happened?" Bloom asked.

"Veela have a power to enchant men… they – I mean we can't control ourselves when they stand too close, we'll do the dumbest things…" Sirius explained.

"Veela are a race of semi-human, semi-magical hominids reminiscent of the Sirens of Greek mythology. Little is known about their biology; they appear to be young, beautiful human female. Their appearance and especially their dance are magically seductive to almost all male beings, which causes them to perform strange actions in order to get nearer to them. Hearing a Veela's voice can also cause one to incessantly brag in order to impress them." Remus continued. "Veela are thought to have their own type of magic which does not require a wand. When Veela are angry, however, they transform into something more like Harpies — their faces turn into cruel-beaked bird heads and long scaly wings burst from their shoulders, and they can launch balls of fire from their hands."

Bloom stared at him and then back to the veelas, "Remind me not to get one mad."

"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air…for the Irish National Team Mascots!"

Next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet came zooming into the stadium. It did one circuit of the stadium, then split into two smaller comets, each hurtling toward the goal posts. A rainbow arced suddenly across the field, connecting the two balls of light. The crowd oooohed and aaaaahed, as though at a fireworks display. Now the rainbow faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they had formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over the stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it – and heavy gold coins rained from it, bouncing off their heads and seats. Squinting up at the shamrock, Bloom realized that it was actually comprised of thousands of tiny little bearded men with red vests, each carrying a minute lamp of gold or green.

"Leprechauns!" said Mr. Weasley over the tumultuous applause of the crowd, many of whom were still fighting and rummaging around under their chairs to retrieve the gold.

The great shamrock dissolved, the leprechauns drifted down onto the field on the opposite side from the veela, and settled themselves cross-legged to watch the match.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!"

A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick, moving so fast it was blurred, shot out onto the field from an entrance far below, to wild applause from the Bulgarian supporters.

"Ivanova!"

A second scarlet-robed player zoomed out.

"Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - Krum!"

"That's him, that's him!" yelled Ron, following Krum with his Omnioculars.

Bloom quickly focused her own Omnioculars.

Viktor Krum was thin, dark, and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey.

It was hard to believe he was only eighteen.

"He looks a bit mean, doesn't he?" Bloom said.

"They don't pick players on looks Bloom." Sirius said.

"I know, I'm just saying."

"And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team!" yelled Bagman. "Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand - Lynch!"

Seven green blurs swept onto the field; Harry spun a small dial on the side of his Omnioculars and slowed the players down enough to read the word Firebolt on each of their brooms and see their names, embroidered in silver, upon their backs.

"And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!"

A small and skinny wizard, completely bald but with a moustache to rival Uncle Vernon's, wearing robes of pure gold to match the stadium, strode out onto the field. A silver whistle was protruding from under the moustache, and he was carrying a large wooden crate under one arm, his broomstick under the other.

Bloom spun the speed dial on her Omnioculars back to normal, watching closely as Mostafa mounted his broomstick and kicked the crate open - four balls burst into the air: the scarlet Quaffle, the two black Bludgers, and the minuscule, winged Golden Snitch.

With a sharp blast on his whistle, Mostafa shot into the air after the balls.

"Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman.

"And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!"

It was Quidditch as Bloom had never seen it played before. The speed of the players was incredible - the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to one another so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names.

The three Irish Chasers zoom closely together, Troy in the center, slightly ahead of Mullet and Moran, bearing down upon the Bulgarians. PORSKOFF PLOY flashed up next, as Troy made as though to dart upward with the Quaffle, drawing away the Bulgarian Chaser Ivanova and dropping the Quaffle to Moran. One of the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov, swung hard at a passing Bludger with his small club, knocking it into Moran's path; Moran ducked to avoid the Bludger and dropped the Quaffle; and Levski, soaring beneath, caught it – "TROY SCORES!" roared Bagman, and the stadium shuddered with a roar of applause and cheers. "Ten zero to Ireland!"

They worked as a seamless team, their movements so well coordinated that they appeared to be reading one another's minds as they positioned themselves, and the rosette on Bloom's chest kept squeaking their names: "Troy - Mullet - Moran!" And within ten minutes, Ireland had scored twice more, bringing their lead to thirty-zero and causing a thunderous tide of roars and applause from the greenclad supporters. The match became still faster, but more brutal.

Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them from using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks; dodge the Keeper, Ryan; and score Bulgaria's first goal.

"Fingers in your ears!" bellowed Mr. Weasley as the veela started to dance in celebration.

"Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh I say!" roared Bagman. One hundred thousand wizards gasped as the two Seekers, Krum and Lynch, plummeted through the centre of the Chasers, so fast that it looked as though they had just jumped from airplanes without parachutes. At the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiralled off. Lynch, however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the stadium. A huge groan rose from the Irish seats.

"Fool!" moaned Mr. Weasley. "Krum was feinting!"

"It's time-out!" yelled Bagman's voice, "as trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch!"

"He'll be okay, he only got ploughed!" Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, who was hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck. "Which is what Krum was after, of course…"

Bloom was horror – struck as well.

Bloom hastily pressed the replay and play-by-play buttons on his Omnioculars, twiddled the speed dial, and put them back up to his eyes. She watched as Krum and Lynch dived again in slow motion. WRONSKI DEFENSIVE FEINT - DANGEROUS SEEKER DIVERSION read the shining purple lettering across her lenses. She saw Krum's face contorted with concentration as he pulled out of the dive just in time, while Lynch was flattened, and she understood - Krum hadn't seen the Snitch at all, he was just making Lynch copy him.

Krum hardly looked as though he was using a broomstick at all; he moved so easily through the air that he looked unsupported and weightless.

Bloom turned her Omnioculars back to normal and focused them on Krum. He was now circling high above Lynch, who was being revived by mediwizards with cups of potion. Bloom, focusing still more closely upon Krum's face, saw his dark eyes darting all over the ground a hundred feet below. He was using the time while Lynch was revived to look for the Snitch without interference.

Lynch got to his feet at last, to loud cheers from the green-clad supporters, mounted his Firebolt, and kicked back off into the air. His revival seemed to give Ireland new heart. When Mostafa blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with a skill unrivalled by anything Bloom had seen so far.

After fifteen more fast and furious minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to get dirtier.

As Mullet shot toward the goal posts yet again, clutching the Quaffle tightly under her arm, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet her.

Whatever happened was over so quickly Bloom didn't catch it, but a scream of rage from the Irish crowd, and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told her it had been a foul.

"And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing — excessive use of elbows!" Bagman informed the roaring spectators. "And - yes, it's a penalty to Ireland!"

The leprechauns, who had risen angrily into the air like a swarm of glittering hornets when Mullet had been fouled, now darted together to form the words "HA, HA, HA!"

The veela on the other side of the field leapt to their feet, tossed their hair angrily, and started to dance again.

As one, the Weasley boys and Harry, Remus and Sirius stuffed their fingers into their ears, but Hermione and Ginny and Bloom, who hadn't bothered.

Hassan Mostafa had landed right in front of the dancing veela, and was acting very oddly indeed. He was flexing his muscles and smoothing his moustache excitedly.

"Now, we can't have that!" said Ludo Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. "Somebody slap the referee!"

A mediwizard came tearing across the field; his fingers stuffed into his own ears, and kicked Mostafa hard in the shins.

Mostafa seemed to come to himself; Bloom, watching through the Omnioculars again, saw that he looked exceptionally embarrassed and had started shouting at the veela, who had stopped dancing and were looking mutinous.

"And unless I'm much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!" said Bagman's voice. "Now there's something we haven't seen before… Oh this could turn nasty…"

It did:

The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, landed on either side of Mostafa and began arguing furiously with him, gesticulating toward the leprechauns, who had now gleefully formed the words "HEE, HEE, HEE."

Mostafa was not impressed by the Bulgarians' arguments, however; he was jabbing his finger into the air, clearly telling them to get flying again, and when they refused, he gave two short blasts on his whistle.

"Two penalties for Ireland!" shouted Bagman, and the Bulgarian crowd howled with anger.

"And Volkov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms… yes… there they go… and Troy takes the Quaffle."

Play now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human as they swung them violently through the air.

Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom.

"Foul!" roared the Irish supporters as one, all standing up in a great wave of green.

"Foul!" echoed Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice. "Dimitrov skins Moran - deliberately flying to collide there - and it's got to be another penalty - yes, there's the whistle!"

The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field.

At this, the veela lost control. Instead of dancing, they launched themselves across the field and began throwing what seemed to be handfuls of fire at the leprechauns.

Watching through his Omnioculars, Bloom saw that they didn't look remotely beautiful now. On the contrary, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruelbeaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from their shoulders – "And that, boys," yelled Mr. Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!"

Ministry wizards were flooding onto the field to separate the veela and the leprechauns, but with little success; meanwhile, the pitched battle below was nothing to the one taking place above. Bloom turned this way and that, staring through her Omnioculars, as the Quaffie changed hands with the speed of a bullet.

"Levski - Dimitrov - Moran - Troy - Mullet - Ivanova - Moran again - Moran - MORAN SCORES!"

But the cheers of the Irish supporters were barely heard over the shrieks of the veela, the blasts now issuing from the Ministry members' wands, and the furious roars of the Bulgarians.

The game recommenced immediately; now Levski had the Quaffle, now Dimitrov - The Irish Beater Quigley swung heavily at a passing Bludger, and hit it as hard as possible toward Krum, who did not duck quickly enough. It hit him full in the face.

"Oh no…" Bloom gasped, that must hurt a lot.

There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa didn't blow his whistle.

He had become distracted, and Bloom couldn't blame him; one of the veela had thrown a handful of fire and set his broom tail alight.

Bloom wanted someone to realize that Krum was injured. Ron obviously felt the same.

"Time-out! Ah, come on, he can't play like that, look at him -"

"Look at Lynch!" Harry yelled.

For the Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive, and Bloom was quite sure that this was no Wronski Feint; this was the real thing…

"He's seen the Snitch!" Harry shouted.

"He's seen it! Look at him go!"

Half the crowd seemed to have realized what was happening; the Irish supporters rose in another great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on… but Krum was on his tail. How he could see where he was going, Bloom had no idea; there were flecks of blood flying through the air behind him, but he was drawing level with Lynch now as the pair of them hurtled toward the ground again –

"They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.

"They're not!" roared Ron.

"Lynch is!" yelled Harry.

And he was right – for the second time, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force and was immediately stampeded by a horde of angry veela.

"The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie, along the row.

"He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted Harry.

Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was raising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.

The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realized what had happened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight.

"IRELAND WINS!" Bagman shouted, who like the Irish, seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match.

"KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WINS — good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

"What did he catch the Snitch for?" Ron bellowed, even as he jumped up and down, applauding with his hands over his head. "He ended it when Ireland were a hundred and sixty points ahead, the idiot!"

"He knew they were never going to catch up!" Harry shouted back over all the noise, also applauding loudly. "The Irish Chasers were too good… He wanted to end it on his terms, that's all…"

"He was very brave, wasn't he?" Hermione said, leaning forward to watch Krum land as a swarm of mediwizards blasted a path through the battling leprechauns and veela to get to him. "He looks a terrible mess…"

The Irish players were dancing gleefully in a shower of gold descending from their mascots.

Flags were waving all over the stadium, the Irish national anthem blared from all sides; the veela were shrinking back into their usual, beautiful selves now, though looking dispirited and forlorn.

"Vell, ve fought bravely," said a gloomy voice behind them. They looked around; it was the Bulgarian Minister of Magic.

"You can speak English!" said Fudge, sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!"

"Veil, it vos very funny," said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging.

"And as the Irish team performs a lap of honour, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" roared Bagman.

"Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!" Bagman shouted.

One by one, the Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, and Bagman called out the name of each as they shook hands with their own minister and then with Fudge.

Krum, who was last in line, looked a real mess. Two black eyes were blooming spectacularly on his bloody face.

He was still holding the Snitch.

Bloom noticed that he seemed much less coordinated on the ground. He was slightly duck-footed and distinctly round-shouldered. But when Krum's name was announced, the whole stadium gave him a resounding, earsplitting roar.

And then came the Irish team. Aidan Lynch was being supported by Moran and Connolly; the second crash seemed to have dazed him and his eyes looked strangely unfocused.

But he grinned happily as Troy and Quigley lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered its approval. Harry's hands were numb with clapping.

At last, when the Irish team had left the box to perform another lap of honour on their brooms (Aidan Lynch on the back of Confolly's, clutching hard around his waist and still grinning in a bemused sort of way), Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered, "Quietus."

"They'll be talking about this one for years," he said hoarsely, "a really unexpected twist, that… shame it couldn't have lasted longer… h yes… yes, I owe you… how much?"

For Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched.

* * *

**There you go, I wrote a lot… please review and let me know what you think.**

**And thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	46. A Helping Soul

**Hello People!**

**I hope you liked the last chapter… I just started writing and writing and it came out. I hope it was to your liking. I'm still trying to recover from a cold, I hate being sick. It's one of the worse things ever.**

**Anyways I hope you looked up the stories I told you about. They are super good.**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter.**

* * *

**A Helping Soul**

* * *

"Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs.

"Don't worry, Dad," said Fred gleefully, "we've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated."

Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know.

They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites.

Remus held onto Bloom's hand. It would be really easy to lose a child or anyone in the crowd. Sirius walked along side Harry while looking around.

Raucous singing was borne toward them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in.

They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny and Bloom fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor.

Bloom felt someone pick her up and carried her out to her tent.

She felt so warm and cozy on her cot. It rocked back and forth as she slept, she didn't want to trade this feeling for anything at the moment – quite suddenly, Mr. Weasley was shouting. Bloom sat up with sleep in her eyes, she saw Remus run in the tent. "Girls, get up quickly we have to go now!"

No one stopped to ask why; they grabbed their wands and bath gowns and followed Remus out. By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire.

Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene.

A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Bloom squinted at them… They didn't seem to have faces… Then she realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes.

It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air.

Two of the figures were very small.

More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies.

Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Bloom saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire. The screaming grew louder.

The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Harry recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager.

The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children.

"Let them go!" Bloom shouted, she raised a hand and a flame shot out from her hand. It hit the wizards that were attacking the poor family. As the family began to fall, good wizards appeared and stopped them from falling.

At the same moment, Bill, Charlie, and Percy emerged from the boys' tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out.

"We're going to help the Ministry!" Mr. Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. "You lot - get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction toward the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer.

"Remus will go with you!" Sirius shouted. Then he turned and ran to help.

"Be careful!"

"C'mon," said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. They ran as a group with Remus in the lead and then one of the mask wizards appeared beside them, before he could curse them Remus stood in front of them and sent curses at him; "Run to the woods! Don't look back, Go!" Harry and Bloom wanted to help but couldn't, so Harry did the only thing he could. He grabbed Bloom's hand and they all ran again, Bloom tried to ignore the cries around them but she couldn't. Tears swelled up in her eyes. And then she hear something; "Mummy! Mummy! Where are you!" she turned and saw a little boy not even six years old looking around for his mother. Bloom pulled her hand free from Harry's grip and ran to the little boy.

She ignored Harry's shouts and ran to the little boy's side. "It's okay, trust me… I'll take you to your mummy after everything is over." she whispered as she kneed beside him, "Will you come with me?" she asked.

The little boy stared at her with fearful blue eyes and then hiccupped an okay. Bloom picked him up and behind to run back to Harry and the others, the little boy held on to her so tightly, she thought her blood stream was cut off. But she didn't care, she knew he was scared. She was scared too but at least they weren't alone anymore. She almost made it back to Harry when another masked wizards appeared. She screamed and tried to run a different way, but all around her were destroyed tents and fire. They were trapped.

She placed the child behind her, hoping to shield him from whatever harm the masked wizard wanted to do to them. She could hear Harry's cries and shouts, as of everyone else's. Maybe I can control the flames, but before she even finished the thought another wizard appeared.

But this time it was a witch.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you, it's rude to pick on children?" she waved her wand like a wimp – each wimp movement hit the masked wizard causing him to fall – and then a strong flick, red light came out of her wand and hit the masked wizard; he had a shield around him but it seemed that the witch's power was too much for him, he was tossed across the sky. He hit a tent's pole with his head and was knocked out.

She sighed and then turned to Bloom.

She was a very pretty woman, she had long curly and yet wavy brown hair that reached her waist. Her eyes were chocolate brown but they stared at her kindly. She wasn't really tall, maybe five feet two inches. She didn't look older than twenty – not even twenty. What caught Bloom's eye was that she was wearing muggle clothes and they looked good, there was no poncho or knit. "Are you alright?" she asked. She had an accent – maybe American? She did have some sort of tan or was it a healthy glow?

"Yes, thank you for saving us…"

She smiled. "No problem, like I told that big bully; you don't pick on children."

"Bloom!" Harry and the others ran to her. "Are you alright?" he asked. He looked her over and then at the little boy. "Are you okay?" he asked kindly.

"I – I wa – want my Mu – mummy…" the little boy cried.

The witch came up to them and kneed in front of the little boy, "I'm sorry that you lost her but you're going to have to wait a bit. Okay? As soon as we stop these bad guys we'll get you to your mummy. Okay?" the little boy nodded and held onto Bloom's side. "You all have to get to safety, get to the woods. Stay there until it's all over, even if it's quiet, stay there! Wait a good twenty minutes and have your wands out…"

Two masked wizards appeared this time. "Go! Run!" she shouted as she ran to the masked wizards. Bloom picked up the little boy again and ran next to Harry. They ran and ran until they were deep in the woods. They found two huge and thick trees and a log had fallen between them, making some sort of wall. Fred and George climbed on it and then pulled Ginny up, she then jumped to the other side. Bloom passed them the small child and then she was pulled up. Next were Hermione, Ron and Harry. Fred and George finally jumped down and sat down. "We should be safe now."

Bloom had the little boy sitting on her lap as he buried his face in her shoulder. "I never told you my name." Bloom started. "I'm Bloom Potter."

He timidly looked up at her. "Y –you are Bloom P –potter? Really?"

This boy had probably grown up hearing stories on how Harry and Bloom fought dragons or something. But nevertheless she smiled at him; "Yes. What's your name?"

"I – I'm Timmy Greyback…"

"That's a nice name." Harry smiled at him causing Timmy to gasp.

"Oh, did you know that you're Harry Potter?" Timmy asked. Everyone laughed quietly while Harry blinked twice at Timmy; who was looking like he made a new discovery. They spent their time trying to distract Timmy from the shouts and cries behind them. Fred and George seemed to be doing a really good job at it. They showed Timmy one of their fake wands causing Timmy to roll off Bloom's lap and laugh. The twins were pretty good with children, Bloom thought with a smile. Bloom thought about the American witch that had saved her and Timmy, she didn't have to save them but she did but there was something in her eyes. Something that made her feeling like she knew who she was helping, maybe it was because she and Harry were famous but she didn't seem the type to care about that… soon Timmy fell asleep, he used Bloom's lap as a pillow.

* * *

"Harry!" someone shouted. "Bloom!"

"Kids!" another voice shouted. "Come out, it's all over now!"

"Marco!" someone shouted and then silences came after the shout. "This is the part when you yell 'Polo'."

Fred and George poked their head out and then turned to the group. "It's okay guys, its Dad and the others." And then they jumped on the log. "Oi! Over here!" they shouted. Bloom started to get up, once on her feet Harry placed her Timmy; who was sound asleep. She could hear footsteps getting louder and louder each moment. The twins first pulled Ron up with them and then Harry. Ron and Harry pulled up Hermione while Fred and George pulled Ginny up. Bloom passed Timmy to Ginny so Harry and Fred could help her up. As soon as she got up she saw her family just ten feet away as they ran to them.

"Are you guys okay?" Mr. Weasley asked quickly glancing at them. He looked taken back when he saw Timmy in Bloom's arms.

"This is Timmy." Bloom answered their unspoken question. "I found him in the chaos, I couldn't leave him. He couldn't find his mum."

"I think you guys should explain what happened after Remus had to deal with the death eater." Sirius said. Remus and Mr. Weasley nodded.

Harry quickly explained what happened just after they were separated from Remus. How he had held onto Bloom's hand and then she let go to save the little boy. "I couldn't leave him…" Bloom said quietly. "He looked so scared. I kept picturing myself in his place. I – I wasn't going to leave him there. So I ran to him. But when I was running back to Harry with Timmy in my arms, a masked wizard appeared. We were trapped and then a witch appeared and quickly defeated him. She was really nice; she told us what to do and protected us again when two more masked wizards appeared."

"Do you know her name?" Charlie asked

Bloom shook her head. "No, we didn't get the chance to ask. But I can describe her. She had long curly but wavy brown hair that reached her waist. Kind chocolate eyes, she had a bit of a tan. Oh! And she wasn't tall; I think she was around five feet two inches. I'm not sure… oh and she had an accent."

"Do you know what kind of accent?" Remus asked softly.

"I think American."

"Are you sure you don't you know her name?" Sirius asked suddenly

Bloom shook her head again, "No, I was going to ask but the two wizards appeared. Sorry."

"It's alright Bloom." Sirius said though you can tell he was trying to figure out how had saved them.

"They aren't any American workers at the Ministry." Percy said. "Well there are two but they're both males… I think it might be just someone who came to watch the World Cup. We only have a two percent of finding who it was now…"

Bloom saw Remus look at Sirius quickly and then he turned to look at Timmy. "Let's find his family now." Together they walked out of the woods in hopes of finding Timmy's family. One thing was for sure, Bloom was not going to leave him until they did.

* * *

The Ministry made a tent for the people that were injured and for the Muggles to get their memories erased from the horrible night. Some children that were separated from their parents were placed in an area. But Bloom glared at anyone who tried to take Timmy from her, she would only let him go to his family! No one else! And even if she would have left him – which she wouldn't – Timmy wouldn't let go of her.

Thank god no one died.

And then she heard someone shout; "Timmy!"

Bloom turned to see _Matthew Greyback. Greyback? H_ow didn't she see that? But Greyback was a common surname. "Mattie!" Timmy shouted, he wiggled out of Bloom's arms and ran to Greyback. He looked beyond relieved at the sight of Timmy. He picked Timmy up and crushed him into his chest; Bloom saw a tear fall down. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he looked Timmy over in a panic.

Timmy giggled thru his tears, "I'm okay… Bloom saved me."

"Bloom?" Greyback looked up and his eyes forced on Bloom automatically. "I take it you're Bloom."

"Yes, I found him when we were running to the woods. I wasn't going to leave him there." Bloom answered. He was staring at her like he never seen anyone like her. She felt herself blush under his stare.

"Thank you for saving my baby brother…"

"Baby brother?"

"Yes, I had people looking after him and my parents but during the chaos they were dueling some Death Eaters…" he took her hand. "I can't thank you enough. If there's anything you – oh!"

Bloom jumped. "What?"

"You're the girl from the top box aren't you?" he asked with wide eyes.

"Umm. I did sit in the top box if that's what you mean."

"Yes! I mean yes… ummm I'm Matthew Greyback and I umm thank you for helping my little brother… you didn't have too but you did so I ummm…" as he spoke he turned pink and then light red.

Bloom was so confused; she had no idea what he was trying to say. She smiled a bit; it wasn't every day when a singer lost words in his throat. He was a whole head taller than her; he seemed to be around Harry's age. Maybe a bit older… she couldn't tell. Just then Remus called her out. "I'm sorry but I have to go now…" she then turned to look at Timmy, "I hope to see you again soon Timmy. It was very nice meeting you."

Timmy reached out for her, she smiled and hugged him. "I don't want you to go…" he cried.

"I'm sorry but I have to go with my family now. You're safe now. You can owl me if you want okay? I promise to answer all you letters." She told him

"Really?" he jumped in her arms with glee. "Oh I promise to write as soon as I can. And then – and then when I'm big I can save you!"

Bloom laughed as she put him down. "Alright, you'll be my prince in shining armor… Bye Timmy." She nodded at Greyback and then turned away as Timmy shouted happily; "Bye bye Bloom! Bye bye!"

* * *

Mr. Weasley woke them after only a few hours' sleep.

He, Remus and Sirius used magic to pack up the tents, and they left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr. Roberts at the door of his cottage. Mr. Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Merry Christmas."

"He'll be all right," said Mr. Weasley quietly as they marched off onto the moor. "Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes him a bit disorientated for a while… and that was a big thing they had to make him forget."

They heard urgent voices as they approached the spot where the Portkeys lay, and when they reached it, they found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamouring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible.

Mr. Weasley had a hurried discussion with Basil; they joined the queue, and were able to take an old rubber tire back to Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen. They walked back through Ottery St. Catchpole and up the damp lane toward the Burrow in the dawn light, talking very little because they were so exhausted, and thinking longingly of their breakfast.

As they rounded the corner and the Burrow came into view, a cry echoed along the lane.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!"

Mrs. Weasley, who had evidently been waiting for them in the front yard, came running toward them, still wearing her bedroom slippers, her face pale and strained, a rolled-up copy of the Daily Prophet clutched in her hand.

"Arthur - I've been so worried - so worried-"

She flung her arms around Mr. Weasley's neck, and the Daily Prophet fell out of her limp hand onto the ground. Looking down, Bloom saw the headline: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, complete with a twinkling black-and-white photograph of the Dark Mark over the treetops.

"You're all right," Mrs. Weasley muttered distractedly, releasing Mr. Weasley and staring around at them all with red eyes, "you're alive… Oh boys…" And to everybody's surprise, she seized Fred and George and pulled them both into such a tight hug that their heads banged together.

Bloom giggled when she saw their heads bang together.

"Ouch! Mum - you're strangling us -"

"I shouted at you before you left!" Mrs. Weasley said, starting to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough OW.L.s? Oh Fred… George…"

"Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly okay," said Mr. Weasley soothingly, prising her off the twins and leading her back toward the house.

"Bill," he added in an undertone, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says…"

When they were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Mrs. Weasley a cup of very strong tea, into which Mr. Weasley insisted on pouring a shot of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr. Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder.

"I knew it," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Ministry blunders… culprits not apprehended… lax security… Dark wizards running unchecked… national disgrace… Who wrote this? Ah… of course… Rita Skeeter."

"She always was a real piece of –"

"Sirius!"

"Work."

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" said Percy furiously. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans —"

"Do us a favour, Perce," said Bill, yawning, "and shut up."

"What's the Dark Mark?" Bloom asked looking at the newspaper. The adult seemed to freeze up. "Was it something I said?"

"The Dark Mark – it's … The Dark Mark is the symbol of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It refers both to a magically induced brand that every Death Eater bears on his or her inner left forearm, and to the same symbol conjured in the air. It was everyone's biggest fear to see it over their family home, it only meant one thing; whoever was inside was either gone or dead." Sirius answered.

Everyone stayed quiet as they let that sink in.

"Molly, is it alright if we can stay here for a bit… we're too tired to get home." Remus asked.

"Of course you can stay! Stay the as long as you want!" Mrs. Weasley answered. "I prepared extra beds and everything… I want you all in bed until I call you out. Now get."

"Mrs. Weasely." Bloom started. "I love you so much right now."

* * *

Bloom and Harry stayed a week with the Weasleys while Remus and Sirius put more charms on their home; seeing that the current really spooked them, they wanted to make sure no one was inside their home and that no one without permission could get in. Sirius sent Jiji and Hedwig to Harry and Bloom too, just in case. Jiji ran around the house, jumping on people, tables and chairs.

Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home much over the following week.

Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night.

"It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts. "I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."

"Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny, who was mending her copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi with Spellotape on the rug in front of the living room fire.

"Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. "They want compensation for their ruined property. Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suite Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks."

"Poor guy…" Bloom whispered as she played with Jiji.

Mrs. Weasley glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Harry liked this clock. It was completely useless if you wanted to know the time, but otherwise very informative. It had nine golden hands, and each of them was engraved with one of the Weasley family's names. There were no numerals around the face, but descriptions of where each family member might be. "Home," "school," and "work" were there, but there was also "travelling," "lost," "hospital," "prison," and, in the position where the number twelve would be on a normal clock, "mortal peril."

Eight of the hands were currently pointing to the "home" position, but Mr. Weasley's, which was the longest, was still pointing to "work." Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"Your father hasn't had to go into the office on weekends since the days of You- Know-Who," she said. "They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon."

"Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" said Percy. "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first -"

"Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs. Weasley, flaring up at once.

"If Dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the Ministry had commented," said Bill, who was playing chess with Ron.

"Rita Skeeter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts' Charm Breakers once, and called me 'a long-haired pillock'?"

The twins sniggered.

"Well, it is a bit long, dear," said Mrs. Weasley gently. "If you'd just let me -"

"No, Mum."

Everyone laughed.

Rain lashed against the living room window. Hermione was immersed in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, copies of which Mrs. Weasley had bought for her, Harry, and Ron in Diagon Alley.

Charlie was darning a fireproof balaclava.

Harry was polishing his Firebolt, the broomstick servicing kit Hermione had given him for his thirteenth birthday open at his feet.

Fred and George were sitting in a far corner, quills out, talking in whispers, their heads bent over a piece of parchment.

"What are you two up to?" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, her eyes on the twins.

"Homework," said Fred vaguely.

Bloom and Ginny snorted.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're still on holiday," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Yeah, we've left it a bit late," said George.

"You're not by any chance writing out a new order form, are you?" said Mrs. Weasley shrewdly. "You wouldn't be thinking of restarting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, by any chance?"

"Now, Mum," said Fred, looking up at her, a pained look on his face. "If the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died, how would you feel to know that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?"

Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh your father's coming!" she said suddenly, looking up at the clock again.

Mr. Weasley's hand had suddenly spun from "work" to "travelling"; a second later it had shuddered to a halt on "home" with the others, and they heard him calling from the kitchen.

"Coming, Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying out of the room. A few moments later, Mr. Weasley came into the warm living room carrying his dinner on a tray. He looked completely exhausted.

"Well, the fat's really in the fire now," he told Mrs. Weasley as he sat down in an armchair near the hearth and toyed unenthusiastically with his somewhat shrivelled cauliflower. "Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago."

"Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly.

"Mr Crouch this and Mr Crouch that." Ginny muttered under her breath.

"Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr. Weasley irritably. "There'd be a week's worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark."

"I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the Mark?" said Percy hotly.

"If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily.

"Now look here, Hermione!" said Percy. "A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants -"

"His slave, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising passionately, "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"

"I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly!" said Mrs. Weasley, breaking up the argument. "Come on now, all of you…"

* * *

**There it is! 16 pages no double space! I hope you like it! and please thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	47. Triwizard Tournament

**Hello Everyone,**

**My spring break just started, I hope to be able to write at least three chapters. I will try to update every Thursday or Friday ONLY IF I have 6 to 10 reviews, nothing less than that. I know it sounds unfair but once in a while people just stop reviewing and it hurts. **

**I just finished my midterms for Biology and Education. My brain is gone! I hope I have enough power to get this right.**

**Oh one more thing; the reason I made the witch from the last chapter American was because if I said she was Japanese or something else I would have messed up on the way she would talk or the way things are. I didn't want to insult anyone by it… I hope you can understand that.**

**Thank You**

**Kisa Black**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

* * *

The Triwizard Tournament

* * *

Bloom woke up to the sound of rain, for a moment she stayed in her bed listening to the soft rain. It was moments like these that she treasured. When the day was just starting and there was nothing to hurt her in any way. Jiji was on her stomach, curled into a tiny little ball. Jiji was different from any other cat – she could tell – but she wasn't sure how, he was a strange cat. He knew when she needed him or whenever there was trouble. He had grown two inches this summer but he was still quite small – even for a kitten. And he liked fire for some reason; she had seen him watching the flames in her fire place many times. His eyes had a hint of joy in them as he stared at them.

Bloom stretched as she began to fully wake up, she could smell Dibby cooking bacon, potatoes and eggs down stair – even from her floor the smell could reach. She knew that she better hurry or Harry and Sirius would eat it all. Remus would be the only one kind enough to save her some – grated he would have eaten half of it.

Bloom went to her bathroom for a quick shower.

She brushed her hair up into a pony tail, the ends of her hair curled like red golden rings. Her bangs framed her face on both sides. She didn't look any different than last year but her face was not as round then it had been. She also noticed that her hazel eyes were getting greener – not like Matthew Greyback's grey hazel eyes.

She dress in dark jeans and a little purple shirt for now – later she would get her sweater and beanie plus a scarf.

She quickly went down the stairs and into the kitchen – for some reason they didn't really use the dining room only when they had company over did they use it, other than that they didn't.

Remus was already there.

"Good Morning Bloom."

"Good Morning" she yawned, "Remus…"

"I was about to go wake you… Sirius and Harry are still in bed. Want to help me wake them?" he asked with a grin – a grin she knew too well.

She looked up at him innocently, "Well of course… after all we are family and family must help each other."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well… we could wake them up gently but that's no fun… how about we hang some bacon over their heads…" she began telling him of her plan, as she went on Remus's increased. An evil gleam was in his eyes. He nodded and added a few of his own ideas to it. They both went upstairs and pulled out Remus's wand. First Remus made both of their floor cover in ice – the kind that will make you fall down. next a huge – and I do mean huge – bucket of water and ice appeared over Sirius and Harry's heads, two stripes of bacon hanged over them. Quickly before Sirius or Harry could wake up, Remus made the buckets invisible and the ice. Bloom and Remus ran down the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible.

They sat down at the table and waited. Bloom took one bite out of her baked potatoes – each was covered in yellow cheese and meat when a scream was head above her.

And then shouting.

"Moony!"

"Bloom!"

* * *

Bloom was sitting in the back seat of the family car; which happened to be a mustang. Sirius and Remus went to pick out a Family Car but Sirius wanted a red with gold mustang. Remus tried to reason with him but Sirius kissed the hood of the car and threaten to tie himself to it if Remus didn't let him buy it… Remus agreed only if he drove it when Harry and Bloom were in the car. Sirius was sad about that but accepted either way. Hedwig had settled herself on Sirius's shoulder – she really liked him, for her stool. Jiji was running around by Bloom and Harry's feet.

"Now remember, this year try to not do anything dangerous." Remus was telling them while Sirius was saying, "Cause as much chaos as possible! Prank Snape until he explodes or quits! Whatever comes first!"

Remus had smacked Sirius for that.

When they finally reached London, Sirius began to tear up. When Remus asked him what was wrong, with a grin on his face. Sirius claimed to have poked his eye while trying to get Harry's trunk.

They ran thru the platform in pairs; Sirius with Harry and Remus with Bloom. They only had five minutes left. Quickly Sirius and Remus tossed the trunks aboard then turned to Bloom and Harry.

"Now, please be careful this year…" Remus started as he hugged Bloom goodbye while Sirius hugged Harry. "Don't sign up for whatever is going to happen. I can't tell you but please don't do anything crazy. Stay safe and stick together." He hugged Harry next and Sirius moved to Bloom for her hug.

"Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do and … and…" Sirius sniffed. "You know, there isn't anything wrong with home schooling. I think it might be better, in fact."

Remus tried not to laugh.

"Sorry Sirius… we have to go and prove that we are true Marauders' children."

Sirius sniffed but grinned, "I guess that makes me feel better."

Just then the train started to move, Harry jumped in and then helped Bloom jump in.

They turned to see Sirius in Padfoot form chasing after them while Remus walked quickly.

"Write as soon as you can!" Remus shouted. "Be safe and have fun!"

Padfoot barked loudly.

Bloom stared at them until they were out of sight. Sighing she turned around to face Harry. "Come on, let's go find the others."

Walking side by side they began their search for their friends. On their way, Bloom or Harry's name would be shouted out as a greeting to them. Bloom saw her roommates; Joanna Ross, Ann Green and Norma Turner sitting together as they waved at Bloom. They weren't best friends but nonetheless they were friends.

Gail Adeeb, a nice Hufflepuff in Bloom's year. She was one of the top charm students in her class. She had gotten a new haircut; it was now shorter than last year. She was sitting with David Mac, a fellow Hufflepuff and someone Bloom didn't quite know.

Ken Bloomington was sitting with his fellow Ravenclaws; Mike and Alan. Bloom wasn't really close to them but nonetheless she waved back to them. She saw Ken smile at her.

Harry was talking to Dean Thomas, causing them to stop walking for a bit. Bloom took a few steps looking for Ginny and Luna when she bumped into someone. "Oh my god, I'm sorry – Oh hi Abe."

"Bloom, I've been looking for you! Didn't you get my letters?" he asked

"What letters?"

Abe sighed. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

"Okay? Oh I've been meaning to ask you, how did you escape the death – eaters back at the Quidditch cup?"

Abe rubbed the back of his neck, "Well when the shouting started Alex's parents went to check it out, they quickly came back and grabbed us – Alex, Micky and me – we ran to the woods while they tried to block any hexes heading towards us. But what about you?" he asked. "I figured they were after you and Harry."

"Well…" Bloom began to explain what happened from when the screaming started to when Sirius and the others found them; Abe was on full lecture mode. "Of all the reckless things for you to do! Don't think I wanted you to leave the kid but you could at least have gotten Harry to help you… you're just lucky that the lady decided to help you – she could have left you there or killed you herself." He panted as he finished and then he took her in his arms. Bloom's face heated up. "Please don't do anything like that again… I don't want you to get hurt…"

Bloom couldn't speak so she just nodded.

Soon Harry and Bloom were moving again. They finally found their friends near the middle of the train. Bloom took Jiji out of his cage and placed him on the floor; he sniffed around and then climbed on Luna's lap – purring the whole time.

"Hello Bloom. How are you?" Luna asked.

"I'm good and you?"

"Oh I'm great. I did miss you all… it was a bit lonely but your letters helped.

"I'm glad."

Neville was also sitting with them, he asked questions about the World Cup, which Ron was happily answering everything he could. Hermione and Ginny were reading a book while Luna played with Jiji. Harry started to talk with the guys when a handsome grey owl tapped on their window.

"What the?"

"Quick, open the window." Hermione told Ron. Ron stood up and pushed the window open – the owl flew in gracefully and landed into front of Bloom and held his leg out. Bloom slowly tied the letter. Hedwig glared at the owl, like how could he dare deliver a letter to her humans and without her permission. As soon as Bloom got the letter the owl flew out into the sky.

"Who is it for?" Neville asked.

Bloom flipped the letter to see her name on the front. "Me." She opened and began to read it.

_Bloom!_

_It's me Timmy Greyback, see! I told you I would owl you soon._

_Mattie is helping write the words I don't know. He's really good at that._

_My mommy and daddy wanted to thank you and meet you, you know because you saved me._

_Mattie told me that you would be going to school now but I wanted to owl you now. So I did._

_I really miss you and the two look – a like boys. They were funny – I like the chicken wand!_

_Say hi to Harry Potter for me._

_Timmy._

Bloom giggle at the letter. She could already see Timmy's face while he wrote his letter to her. He was such a sweet child – there was another letter behind Timmy's, Bloom pulled it out. It was address to her too.

_Dear Miss Bloom Potter,_

_I didn't get to thank you properly for saving and helping my brother Timmy. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to him. I don't get to send as much time as I wish to be with him – due to my work. But with what happened during the World Cup, I've decided to take a break from the music world, so I can be with Timmy. _

_I would also like to ask you permission if Timmy could visit you, he misses you greatly. He doesn't talk stop talking about you – not that I mind – I mean – oh forget I said uh I mean wrote anything. _

_Please let me know if Timmy is allowed to visit you._

_I'll be waiting for your answer_

_Matthew._

Bloom didn't know why but she knew she had a faint blush on her cheeks. She reread the letter twice, just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Bloom, are you alright?" Luna asked. "There are Dazeflies flying around you."

Bloom turned to Luna, as did everyone else. "What are Dazeflies?"

"They're little bugs that look like Fireflies, only they fly around someone's head but only if that person is in a daze or thinking of someone special." She answered. "Is there someone special to your heart?"

This time everyone turned to Bloom, her face went from pink to red in five seconds flat. "Oh no… I mean… you see… Timmy owled me and I was just thinking about what he asked… Harry, stop glaring at me like that!"

* * *

Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale.

Ginny, Bloom and Luna jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase.

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast.

Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here.

The Sorting of the new students into Houses took place at the start of every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances, Bloom had missed the last one.

Bloom sat down next to Harry while Ginny sat next to Ron. Luna went to her table but promised to see them in the morning.

"Hiya, Harry!"

It was Colin Creevey, a third year to whom Harry was something of a hero. It never failed to make Bloom laugh.

"Hi, Colin," said Harry warily.

"Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"

"Er - good," said Harry.

"He's really excited!" said Colin, practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?" and then turned to Bloom. "You too Bloom!"

"Sure."

Bloom scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting on a large pile of cushions – something Bloom found adorable to no end – beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, whose hat was askew over her flyaway grey hair. She was talking to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master, Professor Snape – one of Bloom's favorite teachers though he was quite mean to everyone she got along with him quite nicely.

On Professor Snape's other side was an empty seat, which Bloom guessed was Professor McGonagall's. Next to it, and in the very centre of the table, sat Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, his sweeping silver hair and beard shining in the candlelight, his magnificent deep green robes embroidered with many stars and moons.

The tips of Dumbledore's long, thin fingers were together and he was resting his chin upon them, staring up at the ceiling through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. Bloom glanced up at the ceiling too. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and she had never seen it look this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and as another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it. It was quite creepy.

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. If Harry, Ron, and Hermione were wet – Bloom managed to keep dry, she had cast a spell to keep dry and a heating charm; something Remus had taught her – it was nothing to how these first years looked.

They appeared to have swum across the lake rather than sailed.

"Oh, poor things…" Bloom whispered.

All of them were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school - all of them except the smallest of the lot, a boy with mousy hair, who was wrapped in what Bloom recognized as Hagrid's moleskin overcoat. The coat was so big for him that it hooked as though he were draped in a furry black circus tent. His small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he had lined up with his terrified-looking peers, he caught Colin Creevey's eye, gave a double thumbs-up, and mouthed, I fell in the lake! He looked positively delighted about it.

Bloom and Ginny who were watching giggled.

Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty patched wizard's hat.

The first years stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song:

_A thousand years or more ago,_

_When I was newly sewn,_

_There lived four wizards of renown,_

_Whose names are still well known:_

_Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,_

_Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,_

_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,_

_Shrewd Slytherin, from fin._

_They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,_

_They hatched a daring plan_

_To educate young sorcerers_

_Thus Hogwarts School began._

_Now each of these four founders_

_Formed their own house, for each_

_Did value different virtues_

_In the ones they had to teach._

_By Gryffindor, the bravest were_

_Prized far beyond the rest;_

_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest_

_Would always be the best;_

_For Hufflepuff, hard workers were_

_Most worthy of admission;_

_And power-hungry Slytherin_

_Loved those of great ambition._

_While still alive they did divide_

_Their favourites from the throng,_

_Yet how to pick the worthy ones_

_When they were dead and gone?_

_'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,_

_He whipped me off his head_

_The founders put some brains in me_

_So I could choose instead!_

_Now slip me snug about your ears,_

_I've never yet been wrong,_

_I'll have a look inside your mind_

_And tell where you belong!_

The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.

Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.

"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she told the first years. "When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.

"Ackerley, Stewart!" A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

"Baddock, Malcolm!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Fred and George hissed Malcolm Baddock as he sat down, making Ginny and Bloom laugh – which seemed that was what Fred and George were aiming for. They winked them. Causing Bloom to roll her eyes.

"Branstone, Eleanor!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Cauldwell, Owen!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Creevey, Dennis!"

Tiny Dennis Creevey staggered forward, tripping over Hagrid's moleskin, just as Hagrid himself sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers' table. About twice as tall as a normal man, and at least three times as broad, Hagrid, with his long, wild, tangled black hair and beard, looked slightly alarming – a misleading impression, for Bloom knew Hagrid to possess a very kind nature.

Dennis Creevey was putting on the Sorting Hat. The rip at the brim opened wide—

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat, placed it back on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.

"Colin, I fell in!" he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"

"Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"

"Wow!" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster.

"Dennis! Dennis! See that boy down there? The one with the black hair and glasses? See him? Know who he is, Dennis?"

Harry looked away from them causing Bloom to laugh at him.

"And the girl next to him! She's Bloom Potter!"

This time Bloom looked away blushing. Her blush increased when she heard Dennis say, "Wow! She's an elemental witch right? Like you told me?"

Harry laughed at her.

"Pritchard, Graham!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Quirke, Orla!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

And finally, with "Whitby, Kevin!" ("HUFFLEPUFF!"), the Sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool and carried them away. "About time," said Ron, seizing his knife and fork and looking expectantly at his golden plate.

Bloom, Ginny and Hermione all shook their heads at Ron's actions.

Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.

I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."

"Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before their eyes.

Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as they loaded their own plates.

"Aaah, 'at's be'er," said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato. Hermione, Bloom and Ginny all wrinkled their noses at the sight.

"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."

"Why? Wha' 'appened?" said Harry, through a sizable chunk of steak.

Bloom glared at Harry, honestly why couldn't they talk without food in their mouths.

"Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up on his neck. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast - well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council - the Fat Friar was all for giving him the chance – but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."

The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent spectre covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.

"Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something," said Ron darkly.

"So what did he do in the kitchens?"

"Oh the usual," said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits—"

_Clang_

Oh no, Bloom thought staring at Hermione.

Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.

"There are house-elves here?" she said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at Hogwarts?"

"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."

"I've never seen one!" said Hermione.

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nearly Headless Nick. "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning… see to the fires and so on… I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"

Hermione stared at him.

"But they get paid?" she said. "They get holidays, don't they? And - and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"

Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.

Sick leave and pensions?" he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. "House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!"

Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.

"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying Harry with bits of Yorkshire pudding.

Bloom and Ginny were having trouble eating now.

"Oops — sorry, 'Arry —" He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!"

"Slave labour," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose. "That's what made this dinner. Slave labour."

And she refused to eat another bite.

The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark glass. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly, with puddings.

"Treacle tart, Hermione!" said Ron, deliberately wafting its smell toward her. "Spotted dick, look! Chocolate gateau!"

But Hermione gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall that he gave up.

When the puddings too had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.

He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Harry gasped.

Bloom was really surprise too, it wasn't real? No Quidditch?

Fred and George, fellow members of the Quidditch team, they were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"

But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black travelling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swivelled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.

The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Bloom had ever seen.

It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing. But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening.

One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye - and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.

The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words Bloom couldn't hear.

He seemed to be making some inquiry of the stranger, who shook his head unsmilingly and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.

The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark grey hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him, raised it to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.

"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students chapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.

"Moody?" Harry asked to Ron. "Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning? The one you told me about this morning?"

"Must be," said Ron in a low, awed voice.

"What happened to him?" Hermione whispered. "What happened to his face?"

"Dunno," Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.

Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome. Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his travelling cloak, pulled out a hip flask, and took a long draught from it. As he lifted his arm to drink, his cloak was pulled a few inches from the ground, and Bloom saw, below the table, several inches of carved wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.

Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly.

The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er - but maybe this is not the time…no…" said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament… well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches.

But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This" — Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious - "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion."

His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall.

"They can't do that!" said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving toward the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"

"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, also scowling at the top table. "The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"

"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons…"

"Come on," said Hermione, "we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George set off for the entrance hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen from entering the tournament. Ginny and Bloom walked right behind them.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" said Harry.

"Dunno," said Fred, "but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George…"

"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names."

"People have died, though!" said Hermione in a worried voice as they walked through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another, narrower staircase.

"Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?"

"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older… Dunno if we've learned enough…"

"I definitely haven't," came Neville's gloomy voice from behind Fred and George. "I expect my gran'd want me to try, though. She's always going on about how I should be upholding the family honour. I'll just have to — oops…"

Neville's foot had sunk right through a step halfway up the staircase. There were many of these trick stairs at Hogwarts; it was second nature to most of the older students to jump this particular step, but Neville's memory was notoriously poor. Harry and Ron seized him under the armpits and pulled him out, while a suit of armour at the top of the stairs creaked and clanked, laughing wheezily.

"Shut it, you," said Ron, banging down its visor as they passed.

"Neville, are you alright?" Bloom asked.

"Yes, thanks for asking."

They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was concealed behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Balderdash," said George, "a prefect downstairs told me."

The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall through which they all climbed. A crackling fire warmed the circular common room, which was full of squashy armchairs and tables.

Bloom and Ginny bid goodnight and climbed the stairs to their dorm, Bloom quickly ran to the bathroom for a quick bath – night time baths were always her favorite. She changed into her nightgown and then went to bed.

Not knowing that this year was going to be hard.

* * *

**Remember the 6-10 reviews still applies**

**There it is guys, please review and remember that the 6-10 review rule still applies. And thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	48. MadEye Moody

**Hello Everyone**

**GUESS WHAT? I GOT THE SIRIUS BLACK WAND! YAY! I'M SO HAPPY! AND I ALREADY HAD THE MARAUDERS MAP! **

**I hope you're looking forward to this chapter… it's getting harder and harder to write this. I know some of you want MattxBloom and others want TerryxBloom. :D I'll surprise you though. If you want, you can let me know you want… I just maybe make it happen.**

**It's getting really hot right now! Making it even harder to write right now**

**Thank you**

* * *

**Mad – Eye Moody**

* * *

The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter grey swirled overhead as Bloom and Ginny examined their new course schedules at breakfast.

A few seats along, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of ageing themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were barely sitting down next to Bloom. "What do you have today?" Harry asked his sister.

"Mondays, I have; Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense against the Dark Arts. Ah five classes today alone… Tuesdays; Care of Magical Creatures – morning, Potions – afternoon, Astronomy – midnight, that doesn't sound too bad. Wednesday; History of Magic – morning, Herbology – afternoon, well that sounds okay compared to Mondays. Thursdays; Study of Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, another long day. Friday; Charms, and Study of Ancient Runes, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Well I guess that's okay… I don't think I like third year…"

"I agree." Ginny sighed.

"At least you don't have Divination." Harry said.

"It's your own fault." Hermione said. "You should have dropped it with me and signed up with a real class like Ancient Runes. I'm proud of you Bloom and Ginny. Taking a real class and not wasting your time. What about Luna?"

"She's taking the same as us but with Divination. Don't ask why." Ginny shook her head. "I tried to talk her out of it but she wanted to try it."

"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.

"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.

"Yeah… and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. Instinctively, Bloom looked up.

Hedwig was flying among the owls; she flew around Harry's head and then landed next to Bloom. "Hello Hedwig." Bloom picked up some bacon and gave it to her.

"We got a letter from Remus and Sirius." Harry said as he opened it and whispered it to Bloom;

"_Dear Harry and Bloom. _

_I hope you two are alright. Harry, please tell me you haven't gotten in trouble._

Don't listen to him kids! – This had to be Sirius plus the writing style changed – remember what I have taught you! Cause as much mischief as you can! Fred and George are sure to be great role models for you!

_Sirius! They're supposed to stay out of trouble! Don't you remember how their first years went?_

Okay, okay you have a point. Kids, stay out of trouble. But do cause a bit of trouble, nothing life threatening. Harry…

_We know about the tournament, don't you dare sign up. Harry Bloom I mean it. I know you wouldn't be I just have to say it. It makes me feel better._

Make sure to owl us

_Moony_ and Padfoot

Harry was pouting; "Why is it that they think I'll sign up for something dangerous? I don't do anything dangerous…" he looked up at everyone giving him a look. "What?"

"Nothing

* * *

Bloom and Ginny made their way to their Care of Magical Creatures class. Even from the hill Bloom could easily see Hagrid; one of her first friends in the magical world. Bloom and Ginny hurried to get a good look at whatever creatures Hagrid was going to show them – to her surprise it was Hippogriff. At the sight of them, Bloom felt her heart melt. They were so beautiful! She even saw Buckbeck; the Hippogriff that they saved last year. Hippogriffs have the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. It is very similar to another mythical creature, the Griffin, with the horse rear replacing the lion rear. Hippogriffs have cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs are half a foot long and appear deadly.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do. Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk towards him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed to touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt." Hagrid began the class, his lecture was very interesting. Bloom casted a spell that would write everything Hagrid said; a spell Remus taught her so she could get good notes.

"Now who wants to say 'ello?" Hagrid asked. No one moved, Bloom looked around and then walked forward. "I will."

"Good girl. Come now…"

Bloom stopped a good distance from Buckbeck; she bowed to him while staring at his eyes – trying really hard not to blink. Buckbeck stared at her for a bit and then bowed back. Bloom slowly reached out to pet him but stopped a good foot from him – she waited for him to come to her. She didn't have to wait long. Bloom giggled when Buckbeck started to purr like a cat as she massaged him behind his ear.

"Well done Bloom." Hagrid came up to her. "Would you like to ride him?"

Bloom looked at Buckbeck, "May I ride you Buckbeck?" she asked.

He seemed to approve of her asking and turned around, his side facing her. I guess that's a yes. Hagrid easily lifted her up and placed her on Buckbeck, with a small pat, Buckbeck opened his wings and ran. Bloom closed her eyes until she felt a gentle breeze. They were flying around her class and then over the trees – it was amazing, she didn't control where they were heading and she wasn't dumb enough to try.

Can you see me, Mum… Dad… can you see how much I have grown? Are you watching over me, up there in the sky?

_She's close Bloom. Hestia whispered. You're guardian and teacher is close… soon you will understand your gift._

_How do I know it's her?_

_You will know when she tells you… her people have been looking for you … and me… for a long time now._

_What do you mean?_

_All in due time._

…

Bloom's next class was Muggle Studies with Ginny and Luna… Mr. Weasley was so happy that Ginny was taking that class, he almost cried. Bloom wanted the class because she wanted to know how wizards see the muggle world. Ginny wanted to be able to bend in in the world and understand how things work without magic. Luna just wanted to know if they had creatures she didn't know about.

Professor Burbage was a tall blonde witch with really pale skin. She was really kind and strict; Bloom could see why Hermione liked her. Gail Adeeb was also in the class long with some of her own friends that Bloom didn't know.

"Welcome to Muggle Studies…" Professor Burbage started. "Many think that this is a soft and easy subject but it is not. You must understand Muggles so we can live among them with worrying if we give ourselves away to them…"

She began the lesson with how Muggles were able to get to the moon – some pure bloods that weren't as bias to Muggles were shocked. Professor Burbage told them that the Russian were the first to reach space but it was the Americans that got to the moon first and even placed their flag on it and to date it was still there.

Many wizards were staring at her in shock, Bloom and Muggle-borns were trying not to laugh at their faces.

Luna and Ginny with Bloom, though they were still shocked about the whole moon thing. "Wait until I tell my dad about this." Ginny said.

"I think I will tell my father as well..." Luna said tilting her head to the side a bit.

"Well – well – well, if it isn't the youngest Potter…"

Bloom turned to see a boy she never seen before but judging by his cloak he was a Slytherin; he seemed to be African and was even taller than Ron was.. "Who are you?"

"Blaise Zabini, fourth year… what is a little girl like you doing out here?"

"Walking to class you dolt… what else would I be doing plus I am not alone."

Zabini stared at her for a bit before forming a grin on his face. "I would hurry if I were you. Not all Slytherins are as kind as I am. They might just attack without warning." He stepped closer causing Bloom, Ginny and Luna to take out their wands and point them at him.

"Isn't that what you always do?" Ginny asked sweetly

"Oh yes, they do that. I have seen it." Luna answered simply.

"I mean no harm now… so go off children. Before I do get mad…" slowly Bloom, Ginny and Luna walked backwards, away from him. Why would he warn them and be well weird? But Bloom didn't have time right now. They had to get to class or else Professor McGonagall would kill them for being late.

Animagi was there first lesson. An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will. Only very powerful and skilled wizards are able to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. Once the initial training is over, an Animagus can change at will at any time, with or without a wand.

Something Sirius had been teaching Harry and her. Sirius had promised to let them try the Animagi potion to find out what form they would have. But not until the potion was ready would take two months to brew – that is if Remus doesn't help.

Next was lunch, Bloom take the Mighty Merlin and God for the invention of lunch. Nothing happened during Lunch since they were all too tired. Bloom just wanted to go to bed and sleep. She already had homework for Muggle Study – M.S – she had to write eight inches on how muggles got to space, Professor McGonagall wanted eleven inches on Animagi – something she would quick owl Sirius and Remus on. She prayed the Professor Snape wouldn't give them any homework.

Luna had Herbology so they went their different ways.

Bloom sat down near the middle of the classroom, while trying to stay awake. She had known classes were due to get harder but geez a little break would be nice. Professor Snape strolled in – he really did look like a bat when he did that. Bloom tried to hide a giggle – he seemed to have heard her but only gave her a nod and stopped in front of the class. "Today we will start with Shrinking Solution" the Shrinking Solution was a simple yet long potion… done right they would be able to shrink anything even a person.

They had to do it on their own as Professor Snape walked around checking everyone's work. Bloom cut, sliced and beaned her plants, bugs and small organs. Bloom's potion had turned bright green but also acidly. According to the book, she was doing it right but there had to be a shortcut to the potion. "Well done Potter. Not only did you do it right but also did it before class ended. Take ten points."

Professor Snape never called her by her first name in front of people it was always Potter. But he always said it in an acidly tone that it made Bloom flinch. Bloom knew Professor Snape hated – or better yet still does – he father; James Potter. He never told her why but she guessed he hated him so much even saying his name was like acid to him.

No one was shocked that Professor Snape had given her points; she was the only one that would receive points that wasn't in his house. Noticing that Bloom was tired he didn't assign homework. Students were shocked to say the less but quickly ran out of the room in case he changed his mind. Bloom smiled at him and mouthed 'Thank You' before she left.

One more class to go; Thank Merlin and God oh Mighty

On her way to class she heard Harry's voice.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Harry. Bloom walked towards his voice. She saw him with Ron and Hermione but he was facing Malfoy. Ron seemed to be shaking with anger.

"C'mon, Ron…"

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" sneered Malfoy. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"

The idiot didn't even know that they were staying with Remus and Sirius. Bloom thought as she stood beside Harry. Ginny was trying to calm down Ron. Ron whispered something to her, causing her to turn red and glare at Malfoy. Bloom saw her reach for her wand.

"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Harry. "that expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"

Malfoy's pale face went slightly pink.

"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," said Harry, turning away.

Bloom saw Malfoy get his wand out. "Harry!"

BANG

Several people screamed – white light barely missed Harry's face.

A second loud BANG and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall; "OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing.

"Don't tell me…" Bloom whispered as she stared at the ferret. "Is that Malfoy?"

There was a terrified silence in the entrance hall. Nobody but Professor Moody was moving a muscle. Professor Moody turned to look at Harry — at least, his normal eye was looking at Harry; the other one was pointing into the back of his head.

"Did he get you?" Professor Moody growled. His voice was low and gravelly.

"No," said Harry, "missed."

"LEAVE IT!" Professor Moody shouted. Bloom and Harry jumped.

"Leave - what?" Harry said, bewildered.

"Not you - him!" Professor Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick up the white ferret. It seemed that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could see out of the back of his head.

Professor Moody started to limp toward Crabbe, Goyle, and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking toward the dungeons.

"I don't think so!" roared Professor Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again - it flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled Porfessor Moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…" The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly. "Never - do - that - again -" said Professor Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.

"Professor Moody!" said a shocked voice.

Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," said Professor Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher. Everyone was staring at the ferret, no one dared to look away.

"What - what are you doing?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air.

"Teaching," said Professor Moody.

"Teach - Moody, is that a student?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.

"Yep," said Professor Moody.

"No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" said Professor McGonagall wealdy. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might've mentioned it, yeah," said Professor Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but I thought a good sharp shock -"

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"

"I'll do that, then," said Professor Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.

Malfoy, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, looked malevolently up at Professor Moody and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.

"Oh yeah?" said Professor Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy… You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son… you tell him that from me… Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes," said Malfoy resentfully.

"Another old friend," growled Professor Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape… Come on, you…"

And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons.

Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.

"Don't talk to me," Ron said quietly

"Why not?" said Hermione in surprise.

"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever," said Ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret."

They all laughed. "We'll see you later… Ginny and I have class in ten minutes…."

* * *

Bloom and Ginny got front seats but near the corner and not by Professor Moody's table.

Soon they heard Professor Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.

"You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."

They returned the books to their bags, Professor Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled grey hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swivelled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered.

"Right then," he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures - you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?"

Bloom had smiled at the mention of Remus.

There was a general murmur of assent.

"But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Professor Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark."

"You're not staying?" asked Ginny.

Professor Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ginny; Ginny turned red but kept eye contact with Professor Moody, but after a moment Professor Moody smiled. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile.

"You'll be Arthur Weasley's girl, eh?" Professor Moody said. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago… Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favour to Dumbledore… One year, and then back to my quiet retirement."

He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together.

"So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. So… do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

"The Imperius Curse." Ginny whispered.

"Ah, yes," said Professor Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Professor Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Professor Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!"

The spider leapt from Professor Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Professor Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.

Everyone was laughing - everyone except Professor Moody.

And Bloom, she had a bad feeling about this. Each passing second she felt colder.

"Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

The laughter died away almost instantly.

"Total control," said Professor Moody quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, and throw itself down one of your throats… Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse," and Bloom knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all-powerful. "Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will. The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped.

Professor Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar.

"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"

"The Cruciatus Curse…" Bloom heard someone whisper behind her but she couldn't see who, she was frozen in her seat.

Professor Moody reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.

"The Cruciatus Curse," said Professor Moody. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "Engorgio!" The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula.

Professor Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side.

No sound came from it, but Bloom was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. She felt tears in her eyes.

Professor Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently.

"Stop it!" Bloom shouted. "You're hurting it!"

Professor Moody raised his wand. The spider's legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch.

"Reducio," Professor Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar.

"Pain," said Professor Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse… That one was very popular once too.

"Right… anyone know any others?"

Bloom didn't dare say it… she would not dare say it… even though she knew what was going to happen next. She didn't want to see it – if she saw it, those memories; those flashes will come rushing back.

Please don't show me… please don't …

"Avada Kedavra," Abe whispered. She didn't notice him until now. He sat right behind her. She could feel his eyes on her back filled with concern.

"Ah," said Professor Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra… the Killing Curse."

He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Professor Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.

Professor Moody raised his wand, "Avada Kedavra!" Professor Moody roared.

There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead.

Bloom let out a gasp but no one heard it due that everyone jumped away and made a low scream.

Professor Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor.

"Not nice," he said calmly. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only two known person has ever survived it, and one of them is sitting right in front of me."

Bloom felt Professor Moody's eyes on her – both of them. But she didn't look up from the spider on the floor. The memories were rising; she was trying to hold them back. She couldn't hear whatever he was saying now. She was trying to calm herself down. she bit hard on her lip, hoping that her cries won't be heard.

That was how her parents had died… exactly like that spider.

Had they been unblemished and unmarked too?

Had they simply seen the flash of green light and heard the rush of speeding death, before life was wiped from their bodies?

What had they felt, believing that it was the end for them and their family.

She knew she had seen it due to the Dementors but it wasn't something she focused on.

She knew what had happened the night…

Wormtail had betrayed her parents' whereabouts to Voldemort, who had come to find them at their cottage.

How Voldemort had killed her father first. How James Potter had tried to hold him off, while he shouted at his wife to take Harry and Bloom and run… Voldemort had advanced on Lily Potter, told her to move aside so that he could kill Harry… how she had begged him to kill her instead, refused to stop shielding her children… he only wanted Harry, for unknown reasons. Bloom was placed with Harry in his crib. She laid there – next to Harry – when it all happened and she had happened to be awake and so Voldemort had murdered her too, before turning his wand on Harry.

"Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it- you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it." Professor Moody was saying. "Now, if there's no countercurse, why am I showing you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared, and the whole class jumped again. "Now… those three curses - Avada Kedavra, Imperius, and Cruciatus - are known as the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance. Get out your quills… copy this down…"

They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang - but when Professor Moody had dismissed them and they had left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth. Most people were discussing the curses in awed voices – "Did you see it twitch?" "- and when he killed it – just like that!"

They were talking about the lesson, Bloom thought, as though it had been some sort of spectacular show, but she hadn't found it very entertaining, in fact she found it horrible. She couldn't take it anymore. "Ginny can you take my things to our room… I need to… I need air."

Ginny nodded. Bloom knew she understood.

Bloom than ran.

She ran and ran. She didn't stop – she always ran in the morning when she had time so it helped her run for a long distance and time. She passed the Great Hall and ended up near the forest. She wanted to keep going, to escape it all. Even for just a moment. Her tears ran freely now… it was hard to run now, it was even harder to breathe. She stood still – not moving for her spot – she covered her eyes with her hands as she gasped for air and tears ran faster. She felt something in her throat. The memories were rushing in her head.

Her father's shouts

Her mother's pleads

His evil laugh

She sat on the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in them. Not a moment later, she felt someone's hand on her back, rubbing it in circles. She looked up to see Abe. "I knew I could find you here."

Bloom couldn't speak.

"It's dark Bloom… let me take you inside." He whispered. He helped her stand, knowing she wouldn't be able to stand on her own. She looked so broken, he just wanted to hold her, he wanted to block out all her pain from her. But he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted too.

She looked up at him – even though they were standing he was a lot taller than her. She looked at him with a pleading gaze; "Abe… I … I … Abe…" she gasped out. "Abe…" she wrapped her arms around him. Abe put his arms around her, he held her gently and whispered to her; "I'm here. I'm here Bloom." He repeated over and over again. He couldn't say that it would be okay because he didn't know how it would; he wasn't going to lie to her. He ran his hand in her hair; she relaxed with his touch and gestures.

"Please don't let me go." She whispered really low, so low he thought he misheard. But whenever he loosen his hold on her, she tighten her hold on him, making him tighten his hold on her; it was a silent gesture of him saying "I'm not going anywhere." They stayed there for a long time, Abe didn't dare to move.

She needed him right now.

And for as long as she'll have him – he would stay there – he would stay with her until she told him to leave her.

But he hoped that that day would never come.

* * *

**6-10reviews please**

**18 pages! Wow! I did it! Please review! I just love reading your review. But it makes me sad that out of 50 people that have 'favorite' and 'alert' my story only 6 review. Please don't make me cry. **

**Thank my Beta Mira SSSB**


	49. Beauxbatons and Drumstrang

**Hello Everyone**

**Has you know I just got Sirius Black's wand! And I'm extremely happy about it! Best part that I didn't have to use my money for it! I got 102% on my Biology midterm! So my dearest father got it for me! They don't understand why I want, how could you example that you're trying to tie yourself to a part of your childhood. **

**I grew up with Harry Potter.**

**I need Harry Potter. They just don't understand that. Having the wand is giving me more aspiration! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sirius Black… I mean Harry Potter.**

* * *

**Beauxbatons and Durmstrang**

* * *

Abe helped Bloom walk to the Gryffindor tower, they walked slowly. Abe didn't want to push Bloom; she might just curse him to next year. Even though she was small, she was already really powerful. He had an arm around her shoulder, she lean on him like she couldn't take her own weight. He didn't say anything. They walked in silence – Bloom wasn't crying anymore. What was the point? Crying would not bring her parents back and she knew that. But that didn't make her feel any better.

Just imagine – close your eyes – picture your mother and father trying to protect you and dying doing it.

And the reason they died was you.

The reason they were killed was you.

"Redfern. Potter, what are you doing here?"

Bloom looked up to see Professor Snape. She gave a small sniff. At the sight of her Professor Snape stiffen, he stared at her with wide eyes and then turned to glare at Abe. "Redfern! What did you do to her?"

"It wasn't me, Sir!"

"It's not his fault, Professor." Bloom said though her voice was shaky it was still strong. She was done crying – it seemed that it was all she did now. She separated herself from Abe and looked at Professor Snape in the eye. "He was trying to make me feel better. I – I didn't have a good day today. He found me and helped me a bit. Now we're heading back to our common room before we get in trouble."

Professor Snape stared at her long and hard before turning back to Abe. "Redfern go back to your common room. Potter, follow me please."

Abe looked at Bloom; she gave him a small smile and a nod. "I'll see you soon. Tell Harry… tell Harry I was asking Professor Snape something about the lesson." She was going to say homework but she remembered Professor Snape didn't assign any, Harry wasn't dumb – far from it – he would ask Ginny about it.

"Okay, call me if you want to talk." He smiled sadly.

Bloom smiled. "Thank you Abe." Bloom gave him a hug and then gave him a peck on the cheek. "You're a great friend." She followed Professor Snape; who was waiting for her at the end of the hallway. Again, they walked in silence. The only sound heard was their footsteps

* * *

Bloom sat in Professor Snape's office. He placed a small tea cup in front of her – usually he would sit behind his desk but this time they sat face to face without the desk in the way. There was a small coffee table beside them with the tea pot on it; he even had some cookies for her. Bloom's lip twitched at the sight of them, they were her favorite; Coco flower cookies. "Now, tell me what happened." Professor Snape said gently.

Bloom licked her lips once before answering and then swallowed. "You – you see… today I had DADA with Professor Moody. It was my last class – everyone said he was good. But – he showed us the Unforgivables." She whispered out. "We watched him do all of them even – even the one the killed my parents." She pushed her hair back with her hand – it was a habit she picked up from Harry. "I know I shouldn't let it bother me but… I don't like that color. I don't like that green light – I know that no one does but they haven't seen it like Harry and I have. They all thought it was so cool! How could they? How could they think those – those horrible spells were cool! I know that the lesson was important but they shouldn't think it was amazing." She dug her elbows into her lap and then her face into her hands. But she did not cry. "It gets me so mad! Professor Moody should have at least told them that there was nothing amazing or cool about them!" she jumped off her seat. "He shouldn't have to tell them! They should know it already! They talked about it around him and – Oh no! How is this going to affect Harry?"

Harry was going to place all the blame on him – AGAIN!

Bloom knew her brother – she knew how he placed everything that was wrong with the world on his shoulders. And nothing anyone said would make it go away. She began to pace around when Professor Snape finally said something. "I'm sure Potter will be just fine. In fact, I'm sure he'll love the extra attention."

Bloom glared at him. "Sir, please… he's my brother. Why can't you see he doesn't like attention?"

Professor Snape snorted. "I'll believe when I see it. I know that Mutt you call a guardian will be encourage him to get more attention. At least that Werewolf knows more than that Mutt."

"Sir, that's my family you're insulting… I would like it if you stopped." Bloom's eyes slit. "You may not care for them but I do. I love them – more than anyone can ever know. For the first time, I am – and Harry – receiving a parent's love. I don't like that you are insulting that."

"I just don't see what you see in them." Professor Snape whispered so lowly she didn't hear him. He seemed to go into a trace.

* * *

_Lily and Snape were walking across the castle courtyard, evidently arguing. Harry hurried to catch up with them, to listen in. As he reached them, he realized how much taller they both were: A few years seemed to have passed since their Sorting._

_"…thought we were supposed to be friends?" Snape was saying, "Best friends?"_

_"We are, Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging round with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?"_

_Lily had reached a pillar and leaned against it, looking up into the thin, sallow face._

_"That was nothing," said Snape. "It was a laugh, that's all – "_

_"It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny – "_

_"What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?" demanded Snape. His color rose again as he said it, unable, it seemed, to hold in his resentment._

_"What's Potter got to do with anything?" said Lily._

_"They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?"_

_"He's ill," said Lily. "They say he's ill – "_

_"Every month at the full moon?" said Snape._

_"I know your theory," said Lily, and she sounded cold. "Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you care what they're doing at night?"_

_"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."_

_The intensity of his gaze made her blush._

_"They don't use Dark Magic, though." She dropped her voice. "And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there – "_

_Snape's whole face contorted and he spluttered, "Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too! You're not going to – I won't let you – "_

_"Let me? Let me?"_

_Lily's bright green eyes were slits. Snape backtracked at once._

_"I didn't mean – I just don't want to see you made a fool of – He fancies you, James Potter fancies you!"_

_The words seemed wrenched from him against his will. "And he's not…everyone thinks…big Quidditch hero – "_

_Snape's bitterness and dislike were rendering him incoherent, and Lily's eyebrows were traveling farther and farther up her forehead._

_"I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag," she said, cutting across Snape._

_"I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber's and Avery's idea of humor is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."_

"_Well what's so great about Potter and his little gang anyways?" Snape asked. "They're a bunch of –"_

"_Severus! I know you don't like them but they're not that bad… I know they can be real gits but… they can also be sweet… Don't look at me that way! I've seen it!"_

"_Great! Now you're a fan of their work!" Severus snapped. "Soon everyone will see that they're selfish, arrogant toe –"_

"_Look Severus! I get you don't like them! they might not be my favorite people on the planet but! They are a part of my house – which means they are a part of my family – or did you not listen to Professor McGonagall on the first day? Don't insult them, the more you do the more they'll insult you back. Just leave them alone."_

_Snape glared at her. "Why are you always defending them? Do you like one of them?"_

_Before his memory continued, he heard a voice pulling him back into reality._

"Professor, are you okay?" Bloom asked. For a moment – just a moment her eyes looked bright green to Severus Snape. She had a hand on his shoulder; like she was trying to shake him out of his trace.

"Yes… just a bit tired… I'll take you back to your common room. It's getting late."

Severus Snape watched as she climbed thru the portrait door. From behind Bloom looked just like Lily Evans. For him, she will always be Lily Evans – never Potter. He felt a stabbing pain whenever he had to call Bloom – Lily's face – Potter.

"Deja 'vu" he heard the Fat Lady whisper

It felt wrong; it even tasted wrong whenever he called her that. But it had to be done. It was somewhat funny – he had lost the person he loved the most to the person he hated the most. Now their daughter – the spitting image of his love – was his friend. Yes, his friend. It was strange, that Bloom Lily Potter was his friend. He never imagined that a spawn of James Potter would ever respect him – but it had happened. But that was just Lily coming out of her – too bad her brother couldn't follow that explain.

* * *

When Bloom entered the Common room she was tackled by Ginny. "Bloom, I was so worried. I kept telling Harry that you needed help with something but he wouldn't give up. He went to look for you but then came back – like right after he left – he was whispering 'the map' and 'so stupid'… I think he's losing it. Are you okay?"

Bloom smiled. "Yeah I'm fine. Let's get into our dorm before Boy Wonder comes and –"

"Where have you been?"

Too late…

Bloom slowly turned around to be face to face with her angry brother; the one – the only – Harry James Potter. "Hi Harry… you see – I didn't understand something in the lesson so I went back for help."

Harry's glare increased. "Four hours! Bloom. You were gone for four hours! I was ready to call the Sirius and Remus and tell them that you were missing. Next time, tell me and I'll go with you. Every time you go off on your own something happens…" on and on he went. Some fellow Gryffindors even sat around to watch the show. Bloom even went to take a seat when Harry started going on about her safety was more important than her education.

"Okay – okay I got it Harry. Can I go to bed now? I'm really tired."

Harry's glare decreased to some degree. "Fine… make sure you get your homework done."

Bloom rolled her eyes. "Yes father."

Bloom climbed the steps with Ginny following behind her giggling. "And I thought my brothers were bad… I feel sorry for you Bloom." Bloom rolled her eyes but with a smile on her face. "Oh by the way, you got a letter."

"From who?"

"Oh no one important… just Timmy and Matthew Greyback… you know, the singer that is smitten with you." **[I honestly never thought I would ever use the word 'smitten' in my life…] **

"He's not smitten – honestly I can't believe you just said 'smitten'… beside if anyone knew I was getting owls from them… Dear God, I hope no one finds out. His fans are likely to kill me."

Ginny laughed. "Too true… I put the letter under your pillow."

Bloom nodded in thanks as she opened her letter;

_Hi Bloom, it's me Timmy again! I hope you haven't forgotten about me. _

_I know I just sent a letter yesterday but I wanted to try again. _

_Mattie thinks I should wait until you answer but I don't want to wait. I like writing owls; it's fun. _

_I really miss you and your look a-like friends!_

_Mattie is not going to work because he wants to play with me._

_He is so cool!_

_Can I visit you at Hogwarts? Mattie says he can take me!_

_Bye Bye_

_From Timmy_

_Ps: Miss Bloom Potter. It's Matthew Greyback. I'm sorry that Timmy wrote again without waiting for you to answer._

_He's really excited, you can say. Please answer whenever you can, I know school work takes up a great deal of your time._

_But Timmy doesn't seem to quite understand that. I hope he hasn't bothered you too much._

_Thank You._

Bloom giggled at Timmy's excitement. She decided to write back. It was too late to go the Owlery but she would go tomorrow. First she worked on her homework – due to her umm 'break' she was behind in her work and it was only the first day. But luckily, Ginny helped her with her essays. She was now on her conclusion for her Animagi essay. _Only powerful wizards can become an Animagi, it takes a great amount of work and ability. Sirius Black, my guardian is an Aniamgi and so was my father. Personally, I think becoming an Animagi would be one of the most amazing magic ability and wish to become on in the future… _Bloom went on for a couple more lines until she was done. It was almost eleven; Ginny was now crawling into bed. She quickly pulled out a parchment and wrote a quick letter to Timmy.

_Hello Timmy._

_Sorry I haven't been able to owl you back until now. I have gotten so much homework. I would love to have you visit, I just don't know when yet. The Triwizard Tournament is taking place here, so it might be hard. But I'll have to ask. Maybe if you owl the Headmaster he'll let you. It's all up to him. I'll ask Fred and George (the look a-like boys) to send you a fake wand so you can play with it. They really liked you too – they say you have what it takes to become a great prankster. I do hope they don't corrupt you too much._

_I have to go now. It's pretty late. I'll send this to you in the morning… Goodnight… or Good Morning._

_Lots of Love_

_Bloom L. Potter_

* * *

Their lessons were becoming more difficult and demanding than ever before, particularly Professor Moody's Defence Against the Dark Arts.

To their surprise, Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.

Everyone seemed too shocked to even gasp.

"But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Ken, you could see the fear in his eyes. No one could blame him though.

Professor Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -" Ken continued

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Professor Moody, his magical eye swivelling onto Ken and fixing him with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go." He pointed one gnarled finger toward the door.

Bloom rather cut her hair off than miss an important lesson. She needed this class more than others – she and Harry were being hunted down and Professor Moody was the best to teach them how to defend themselves.

"So." Professor Moody barked. "Who wants to go first?" his magical eye looked around.

"I do." Bloom said.

Everyone turned sharply to her. She thought she even heard someone's neck pop. Professor Moody smiled! He actually smiled. "That a girl! You got most spunk than the Ministry put together. Come to the front."

Bloom stood up and ignored the looks she was getting from her classmate. Ginny, Abe and Alex seemed worried for her. They couldn't understand why she would want to do this; they didn't understand that she had to learn this. She had to learn to fight now. It would be the only way she could survive this world now. She knew that Voldemort was still out there – just waiting for her or Harry to get out into the world. So he could kill them. But if she was to die – she would die protecting her love ones, just like her parents.

Professor Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Bloom, and said, "Imperio!"

It was the most wonderful feeling. Bloom felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness.

_Dance, _said a voice. _Dance_.

Bloom felt her legs began to get ready to start dancing like the voice ordered but then she remembered. She wasn't a good dancer – she never danced in her life. But she wanted too now.

'_I don't want too though' sa_id the other voice in her head.

_I order you to dance._

_No thank you._

_DANCE_

_Get out of me! You don't belong here!_

_I said DANCE!_

Bloom felt a sheet of flame cover her, helping her fight the strong voice. _Get out of me!_ She shouted but she was not the only one. Hestia was also shouting with her. It was like they combined into one. Next thing she knew, she was sitting on the floor, panting. Professor Moody was staring at her with disbelief and then laughed. "That a girl! You almost broke thru! See that – you should follow her example!" he turned his eyes back to Bloom, "I would say let's try it again but you used a lot of problem on that one. You nearly knocked me off with that blast."

Bloom looked up confused. "Blast?"

Professor Moody grinned at her. "You sent a pretty big fire shield around yourself and then threw it at us. But you fell down before it could really reach us." Professor Moody shook his head. "Nearly knocked my wand off… getting too old for this."

"Oops." Bloom gave a weak giggle. "Sorry, I should have warned you. My powers are a bit – you can say in tuned with my emotions. I'm still training to control them whenever I'm scared or angry."

Professor Moody nodded in approval. "Remember this you lot! That one blast could have knocked me to the wall and from the looks of it – it was only a small one. Don't piss her off in my classroom. I don't care if you do it out of class just not in mine."

* * *

"Blast-Ended Skrewts – What?" Bloom asked while they walked back to the Great Hall.

Harry nodded, "Yeah. Blast-Ended Skrewts; they look like a giant crab slash lobster. They're … umm… just stay away from them. Hagrid thought they would be fun for class…"

"Aa, that explains it."

They were having one of those Sibling moments. Every once in a while, Bloom and Harry would go outside or just be alone to talk about their day or if there was anything new. Harry had told her about his first lesson with Professor Moody, honestly – she thought he had it worse than her. Everyone wanted him to be prefect – unbeatable at everything. Sometimes people forget that Harry was human too.

When they arrived in the entrance hall, they found themselves unable to proceed owing to the large crowd of students congregated there, all milling around a large sign that had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase.

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY –

"Brilliant!" said Harry. "It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!"

"What do you mean?" Bloom asked with wide eyes. "Why would he try to poison you?"

STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.

"Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him…"

Bloom turned to Harry, "Cedric's going to sign up for it?"

Harry shrugged, "I guess so. I want a Gryffindor to get it but he's a good choice too."

The appearance of the sign in the entrance hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle. During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where Bloom went: the Triwizard Tournament.

Rumors were flying from student to student like highly contagious germs: who was going to try for Hogwarts champion, what the tournament would involve, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves.

Bloom noticed too that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning.

Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects – Harry covered Bloom's ear when the portraits started to use some special words – who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces.

The suits of armour were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, and Argus Filch, the caretaker, was behaving so ferociously to any students who forgot to wipe their shoes that he terrified a pair of first-year girls into hysterics.

When they went down to breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down beside Fred and George and Ginny and Bloom at the Gryffindor table. Once again, and most unusually, they were sitting apart from everyone else and conversing in low voices.

Ron led the way over to them.

"It's a bummer, all right," George was saying gloomily to Fred.

"But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever."

"Who's avoiding you?" said Ron, sitting down next to them.

"Wish you would," said Fred, looking irritated at the interruption.

"What's a bummer?" Ron asked George.

"Having a nosy git like you for a brother," said George.

"Don't even try Ron." Ginny said dryly. "We've been trying to get it out of them but no good."

"Well at least they gave Timmy a free wand." Bloom cut in, "I say let's count our blessings."

Fred and George turned to her. "Now there is someone that understand us!" and then winked at her, causing her to roll her eyes but yet smile.

"You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry asked. "Thought any more about trying to enter?"

"I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling," said George bitterly. "She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon."

Bloom and Ginny laughed while Hermione gave a stern look at the boys.

"Wonder what the tasks are going to be?" said Ron thoughtfully. "You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before…"

"Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't," said Fred. "McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks."

"Who are the judges?" Harry asked.

"Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," said Hermione, and everyone looked around at her, rather surprised, "because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on the rampage."

She noticed them all looking at her and said, with her usual air of impatience that nobody else had read all the books she had, "It's all in Hogwarts, A History."

"I didn't get to that part; I kind of stopped half way." Bloom admitted. She smiled at Harry, Ron and the Twins faces while Hermione smiled. Ginny had already known so it wasn't a big deal to her. "It is an interesting book but not my favorite."

"Though, of course, that book's not entirely reliable." Hermione continued.

"Hermione, speaking ill of that book?" George gasped in shock and horror.

"What blasphemy is this?" Fred asked, putting a hand on his heart for dramatic effect.

"A Revised History of Hogwarts would be a more accurate title." Hermione continued, glaring at the twins. "Or A Highly Biased and Selective History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School."

"What are you on about?" said Ron.

Bloom winced and shared a look with Harry. They both knew where she was heading.  
"House-elves!" said Hermione, her eyes flashing. "Not once, in over a thousand pages, does Hogwarts, A History mentions that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!"

Bloom saw Harry shake his head and applied himself to his scrambled eggs. Best way to keep out of the arguments and debates for as long as possible, especially with Hermione.

Ron and Harry had paid two Sickles for a S.P.E.W. badge, but they had only done it to keep her quiet. Bloom and Ginny were smart enough to agree with Hermione and even bought them. They only wore it when she was near though.

Hermione had also taken to rattling around the Gryffindor common room every evening, cornering people and shaking the collecting tin under their noses.

Bloom didn't think that was a good idea to go with but didn't dare to tell her that. She liked to live, thank you very much.

"You do realize that your sheets are changed, your fires lit, your classrooms cleaned, and your food cooked by a group of magical creatures who are unpaid and enslaved?" she kept saying fiercely.

Some people, like Neville, had paid up just to stop Hermione from glowering at them.

"White flag." whispered Neville to Bloom.

Bloom's lip twitched. She finally burst out in laughter when Hermione cornered Abe and his friends. They had been trying to hide from her since the start of S.P.E.W

A few seemed mildly interested in what she had to say, but were reluctant to take a more active role in campaigning. Many regarded the whole thing as a joke.

Luna did buy one and said that Hermione was doing a good job. Hermione cried a bit while she tackled Luna into a hug.

Ron now rolled his eyes at the ceiling, which was flooding them all in autumn sunlight, and Fred became extremely interested in his bacon (both twins had refused to buy a S.P.E.W. badge). It cause Bloom and Ginny to laugh at them, they would run away from Hermione whenever she got that look in her eye.

George, however, leaned in toward Hermione.

"Listen, have you ever been down in the kitchens, Hermione?"

"No, of course not," said Hermione curtly, "I hardly think students are supposed to -"

"Well, we have," said George, indicating Fred, "loads of times, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're happy. They think they've got the best job in the world -"

"That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" Hermione began hotly, but her next few words were drowned out by the sudden whooshing noise from overhead, which announced the arrival of the post owls. Harry looked up at once, and saw Hedwig soaring toward him.

Bloom knew it was a letter from Sirius and Remus. Harry quickly read the letter and turned to Bloom. "They say that they'll see us sooner than we think. That's it… oh and that we shouldn't do anything too dumb."

Bloom nodded.

"Thanks, Hedwig," Harry said, stroking her. She hooted sleepily, dipped her beak briefly into his goblet of orange juice, then took off again, clearly desperate for a good long sleep in the Owlery.

There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

When the bell rang early, Bloom and Ginny hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back downstairs into the entrance hall, they wanted to stand next to Luna but it wasn't allowed to later on.

The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

"Weasley, straighten your hat," Professor McGonagall snapped at Ron.

"Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair."

Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait.

"Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall. "First years in front…no pushing…"

They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Bloom and Ginny walked in front of Harry. Something about wanting to keep an eye on her, honestly! This big brother thing was walking on thin ice now.

"Nearly six," said Ron, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it," said Hermione.

"How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky.

"I don't think so…not from that far away…"

"A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

"You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Hermione impatiently.

"Maybe a house will fall out of the sky." Bloom said. "Like in The Wizard of Oz." Ron and Ginny looked confused while Hermione and Harry laughed.

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual. Bloom was starting to feel cold. She stood closer to Harry, to feel his warmth while Ginny did the same with Ron.

Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers - "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.

Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Don't be stupid…it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.

Dennis's guess was closer…

As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powderblue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house – "It really was a house… I was just kidding about the falling from the sky thing." Bloom whispered. – soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backward onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.

Bloom just had time to see that the door of the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened. A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully.

Then Bloom saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman she had ever seen in her life.

The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped.

Bloom had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in her life, and that was Hagrid. This woman (now at the foot of the steps, and looking around at the waiting, wide-eyed crowd) seemed even more unnaturally large. As she stepped into the light flooding from the entrance hall, she was revealed to have a handsome, olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers.

Dumbledore started to clap; the students, following his lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman.

Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and she walked forward toward Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it.

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore.

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.

Bloom, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that about a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks.

They should get inside before they got sick, Bloom thought.

A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. (They were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.  
"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment," said Dumbledore. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other - er - charges."

"My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong…"

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling.

"Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing.

"Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps.

"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnigan said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry and Ron.

"The Trojan Horse…" Bloom said. Seamus; being half – blood knew what she meant. He laughed at the thought.

They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive.

"Oh hurry up…" Ginny whispered. She was turning pale now; Bloom knew Ginny's blood couldn't stand the cold. Bloom thought it was something about the chamber.

A loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed.

"The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"

From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the center; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks - and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor…What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool…and then Bloom saw the rigging…

"It's a mast!" Harry said

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes.

"It looks really creepy, like a ghost ship." Bloom said.

Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank.

A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.

People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them, Bloom noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle; Malfoy's so called friends… but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur.

But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair.

"Dumbledore!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied.

Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl)

did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, he shook hands with both of his own.

"Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, Bloom noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "How good it is to be here, how good…Viktor, come along, into the warmth… you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold…"

Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows.

Bloom saw Ron jump; "It's Viktor Krum!"

* * *

**There goes another chapter. I hope you liked it… please review. I wrote 23 pages. No double space. And thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	50. The Goblet of Fire

**Hi guys,**

****My Professor nearly gave me a ****heart attack**** today. I nearly passed out. She was handing our total grade for the class, I was expecting a B or at least a high C but no! I saw an F! I paled so fast I had to fall on my stool. My friend got a B, but I had an F! That didn't seem right; I have higher grades than her. So I checked the list of grades and noticed she put ".50" on my midterm instead of my actually grade. I ran to her and showed her. She quickly changed it and now I have an A.**

**You guys nearly lost me today. If I had an F for a grade, I would have stopped this story until the end of term – which will be in a couple of months.**

**Let's hope I do well for a couple more months.**

**i had hoped to reach 200 reviews by this chapter... please review.. please. if everyone of you did i would reach my goal! please!**

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**The Goblet of Fire**

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"I don't believe it!" Ron said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Harry! Viktor Krum!"

"We get it Ron." Bloom snapped. Ron hadn't stopped repeated that same sentence the whole walk back to the Great Hall. She was already fingering her wand. Ginny looked ready to slap him in the back of his head.

"For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," said Hermione.

"Only a Quidditch player?" Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Hermione - he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!"

As they re-crossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Bloom saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Oh she was going to tease him senseless for a couple of weeks just for that.

Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked - "Oh I don't believe it; I haven't got a single quill on me -"

"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"

"Really," Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick. While Bloom and Ginny looked at the girls like they were crazy. Bloom knew that Krum was a really good Seeker but everyone was acting as if he was some sort of God, thank the real God that Oliver Wood wasn't here – she shriveled at the thought.

"I'm getting his autograph if I can," said Ron. "You haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?"

"Nope, they're upstairs in my bag," said Harry.

Ginny and Bloom didn't know whether to laugh or just ignore them. "I'm starting to think I really do have a big sister. Ron's become a fangirl." Bloom let a soft giggle out, from the corner of her eye she saw Harry's lip twitching. He must have heard what Ginny said.

"You made him laugh." Bloom whispered at her. Ginny blushed at Bloom's smile.

They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces.

Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.

"Why don't they cast a heating charm?" Bloom asked Hermione.

Hermione shrugged. "It's not that cold."

"Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space -"

"What?"

"Too late," said Ron bitterly.

Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table.

Bloom rolled her eyes as Ron began to whine out loud. Ginny was waving at Michael Corner; Bloom had noticed that Michael had been trying to catch her eye all week. Maybe even more, Ginny thought he was cute but just that. She didn't know him that well. Her eyes passed him and saw Terry talking to some girl. He was facing towards Bloom's direction but not looking at her. Bloom heard someone sit next to her. Bloom smiled Terry's eyes moving to her face.

"Hi Abe."

"Hey."

"What happened to you guys?" she asked. "It looks like you were attacked by some mob."

Bloom saw Micky and Alex shiver. "We were."

"What?"

"Well – you see…" Abe started. "I sort of – don't tell anyone – I kind of know Viktor." He said it really lowly that Bloom blinked twice at him like she was trying to understand what he just said. Abe knows – as in _knows _Krum.

"What?" she hissed.

Abe looked around uncomfortable. "You see," he swallowed. "His father is good friends with mine. I didn't know he was a wizard nor did he find out that I was. When we went to the World Cup and I saw him. I was so shocked I almost fell out of my seat. Somehow – by luck – he was flying close to my seat and I called him out by umm my nickname for him."

"Nickname?" Ginny asked.

Bloom lips became a smile when she saw Abe blush. "What nickname Abby?"

Abe glared at her for that nickname. But the glared didn't do justice since he was blushing red now. "Shut up… I was little and I couldn't say Viktor, he said it with an accent so how would I be able to say it right?" he coughed. "Anyway, he saw me. Remembering the look on his face was priceless. I thought he was going to fall off his broom. After the match, he had his manager find me. And that's that."

Bloom shook her head with a smile.

"Don't let Ron know though." Ginny advised.

When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet.

A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly – guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."

One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.

"No one's making you stay!" Bloom heard Hermione whispered, bristling at her.

"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.

"What's that?" said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding.

"Bouillabaisse," said Hermione.

"Bless you," said Ron.

"It's French," said Hermione, "I had it on holiday summer before last. It's very nice."

"I'll take your word for it," said Ron, helping himself to black pudding.

The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently coloured uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts' robes.

There was one empty seat beside Professor Snape. That meant someone was missing.

Bloom took a bite of her Bouillabaisse. Her face fell – she didn't like it, not one bit. The stew was a bit – creamy and yet chunky. She swallowed and drank some of her juice to get the after taste out. It was like the soup didn't know whether to be cold or warm [btw I have no idea how it taste like. I looked at a picture and …]

Just then the Great Hall's doors opened. "Sorry I'm late!"

Someone turned around to look at the source of the noise. Bloom looked and gasped. It was the American Witch!

The witch wore muggle clothing again. She had a beautiful white coat on; it was buttoned up to the base of her neck and reached her mid-thigh. She wore fade jeans that were tucked into her light brown knee – high fur – not real fur – boots that had brown shoe laces. Her curly hair was down again with a white beanie on her head. She was scratching the curve of her cheek. "I got lost." She laughed.

Professor Dumbledore smiled and his eye twinkled full blast at the American Witch, "Miss Anacaona." **[Anacaona means Golden Flower… you pronounce it A – na –cao – na] **he said, "I was wondering when you would be arriving."

Anacaona? What name was that from? It didn't sound American, but who was she to know? She didn't really know about America customs. She stared at the Witch Anacaona walked towards the Head table. Dumbledore put his hand out to shake hers. She stopped walking and gave him a look saying 'you're kidding right?' and then hugged him. Every Hogwarts' student gasped; never had anyone hugged the Headmaster before and in public.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled and hugged her back. When he pulled away he said, "I forgot that Mexicans are known to be huggers." Mexican? Bloom was totally off.

"You forget that I'm 'Aztec' not quite Mexican. Plus American…" Okay, maybe Bloom wasn't totally off.

"Forgive me my dear, it has been a while." Bloom had never seen Professor Dumbledore's eye twinkle so much. Bloom looked towards Professor McGonagall, to her surprise; she was smiling warmly and shaking her head a bit at Miss Anacaona's actions. Like it was familiar to her; in a some way.

"I would like to introduce to you all Lady Aurora Anacaona." Professor Dumbledore announced. "She is here not only as a guest and friend but also as a Representative for the North America."

"Oh Headmaster, you're going to scare them away." Miss Anacaona said. "I'll continue if you don't mind… think of me as a guest, I also came to Hogwarts for my seventh year. Best time in my life in fact. I met a lot of amazing people and hope to be reunited with some soon. Although it's been about fifteen year since I last saw them."

Everyone's jaw dropped, fifteen years? Fifteen – but she didn't look anywhere near thirty, she could pass as a twenty year old.

"Fifteen years!" someone shouted in the Ravenclaw table. "How old are you?"

"Miss Rain!" Professor McGonagall snapped.

But Miss Anacaona waved it down. "It's quite alright. It's happened before." She laughed. "Well Miss Rain, is it? I'm in fact thirty three. I look younger than I am because – well – it's heredity." Some looked confused; the pure bloods. "It means it's a family trait."

Bloom raised her hand and slowly stood up. Miss Anacaona turned to look at her, "Oh I remember you. You're the girl from the World Cup. Where's the little boy? And the others?"

Bloom blushed. "We're all here, thanks to you. The little boy; Timmy is back with his family." Bloom explained. "I – um – I wanted to thank you for saving us when you didn't have too. So thank you."

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys also stood up. "Thank you for helping us."

Miss Anacaona smiled. She was really pretty and even prettier when she smiled. "No need to thank me, I did what any good person would. Plus I got a handful of Death Eaters arrested. I think that's enough of a thank you."

* * *

Aurora went to her seat, besides a man wearing a black coat. He seemed really familiar to her. She narrowed her eyes to get a better look at him until a light went over her head. "Well, aren't you going to say Hello to me Severus?" she said; hands on her hips with a mock glare on her face, though you could tell she wanted to smile.

Severus sighed. "Hello Anacaona."

"Anacaona?" she repeated. "Since when have you called me Anacaona? Come on Severus, I thought we were friends."

She saw him grin. "Just making sure it's really you." Aurora smiled and then – to everyone's surprise – hugged him like a dear friend. "I think you just shocked the whole school." he whispered as she let go of him.

"Let me guess." She said. "You're scaring all the kids and they don't believe you have a heart or a soul?"

"That's about right." He said it so causally Aurora laughed. "It's good to have you back, Aurora."

She smiled warmly at him. "It's good to be back… by the way, don't think I didn't notice but that girl and boy look a lot like Lily and James, did they get married? Where are they now? I have been wanting to talk to them for so long now."

Severus's head whiplashed towards her, his face covered with disbelief; "You mean you don't know."

Aurora was confused and scared now. "What do you mean? Severus, what's going on?" Aurora felt a hand on her shoulder; she turned to see the sad eyes of Professor Dumbledore.

"We'll tell you after dinner, my dear. But for now don't think about it and have fun. It's you first day back in so long."

* * *

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Several seats down from them, Fred and George were leaning forward, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration.

"The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket —"

"The what?" Harry muttered.

Ron shrugged.

"— just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation"

Bloom's group glared at Crouch.

"- there was a smattering of polite applause - "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

Bloom saw Fred and George scowl.

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts."

At the mention of the word "champions," the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen.

Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's. Bloom giggled.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways… their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. "To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

"An Age Line!" Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall. "Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing - it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!"

"But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance," said Hermione, "we just haven't learned enough…"

Personally, Bloom agreed. How would it be possible for a first year to enter and have a chance at winning – it wasn't possible.

"Speak for yourself," said George shortly. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?"

"Try Harry." Bloom said in a dead tone that she saw some people shiver. "And I'll personally kill you. Don't you even think of entering; we just got our family back together and I really don't want to make plans for a funeral, plus I'll give your broomstick to Malfoy if you enter willingly."

Threat hanging in the air Bloom and Ginny; who was laughing on the looks on her brothers' and Harry's face followed her.

"Where is he?" said Ron, who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation, but looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum.

"Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?"

But this query was answered almost instantly; they were level with the Slytherin table now, and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students.

"Back to the ship, then," he was saying. "Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?" Karkaroff asked Krum; who seemed to be annoyed.

Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors, reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry stopped to let him walk through first and pulled Bloom back to his side.

"Thank you," said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him. And then Karkaroff froze.

He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. He then turned his eyes to Bloom. Bloom blushed under his hard stare.

Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar.

The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry and Bloom too.

"Yeah, that's Harry Potter," said a growling voice from behind them.

Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster.

The colour drained from Karkaroff's face as Bloom watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him.

"You!" he said, staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him.

"Me," said Moody grimly. "And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway."

It was true; half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over one another's shoulders to see what was causing the holdup.

Without another word, Professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Moody watched him until he was out of sight, his magical eye fixed upon his back, a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face.

* * *

"You're lying! There's no way that – they couldn't have – no! no!" Aurora shouted. She backed away from the Headmaster's desk. "It's not possible…" she had followed the Headmaster after dinner when Severus right behind her. She had felt a chill in the air – the tense was so heavy Aurora thought that she was lucky not to get crushed by it. She sat down as professor Dumbledore told her what had happened to James and Lily Potter. Her friends… it couldn't be – this couldn't be happening – not to them – they had to be … they have to be… Aurora turned to Severus; her tears running down her face. "Sev… please tell me that it's not true… that's he's lying… please… Sev?"

Aurora felt crushed and breathless when Severus wouldn't look her in the eye. "No… how… but…" Aurora gasped as she sank down to the floor. Severus tried to hold her up as she sank lower and lower. "When I saw Bloom at the cup… I knew she had to be… Lily's… and then I saw Harry… I thought that was proof enough that they were okay… that'll I'll be able to see them soon… but… no… No!"

Her fist held tightly onto Severus cloak, her breathe was sallow and uneven. She felt a hand pat her back gently; even without turning she knew that Professor Dumbledore was trying to calm her.

"How did you not know about it?" Severus asked her.

"I – I … my mother had me locked up in our home. I didn't get news from outside of our village, when she finally let me go I tried everything to contact Lily and James but nothing got thru. My mother blocked everything. She made it so I couldn't leave the country, my father helped her too. I wasn't allowed to leave the Village or America when I was there. And then I received a letter from – from someone saying that they didn't want to see me again. That I hurt them too much… S – I mean it said that they wanted nothing to do with me. I ignored all the news from England after that."

It was silent for a while and then Aurora spoke again. "How are Bloom and Harry? Are they – are they well?"

Professor Dumbledore smiled.

* * *

As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late. Bloom knew that everyone went down to the Goblet of Fire to check it out, even Ginny. But she wanted to sleep more. Like a normal teenager. She felt Jiji crawl in her covers by her feet. Since last night, Jiji was full of energy – like he couldn't wait for something. When she finally went to the Great Hall, she saw everyone surrounding the Goblet of Fire. Shaking her head, she went to sit next to Luna.

"Hello Bloom."

"Hi – hi Luna." Bloom yawned.

Luna giggled. "Still sleepy? It's already ten in the morning."

"Wow, I should be in bed still… so anything good happen?"

Goblet of Fire had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction.

"A lot of Durmstrang students have signed up, I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts though…"

Bloom nodded. "Let's sit next to the others…" Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited. "This can't be good…"

"Done it," Fred said in a triumphant. "Just taken it."

"What?" said Ron.

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," said Fred.

"One drop each," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. "We only need to be a few months older."

"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.

"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," said Hermione warningly. "I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this."

Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

"How much did you drink?" Bloom asked innocently. She wanted to double check.

"One drop. Why?"

"Oh, no reason." Bloom smiled.

"Ready?" Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. "C'mon, then - I'll go first -"

Bloom watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley - Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

Bloom rolled her eyes at his dramatic nature.

George seemed to think that it had worked, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter.

They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards.

"This is why I asked how much you took." Bloom laughed.

"What do you mean?" George asked.

"With an Aging potion, it depends on the age you want. You just wanted a few months but you took a drop, you were supposed damp the tip of a spoon and drink that. Not a drop, plus when an Aging potion is in contact with an Aging line the effect of the potion increases."

Everyone stared at her while Luna, Ginny and Hermione smiled.

"And you couldn't have told us this before why?" Fred asked.

"Cause I wanted to see what would happen and it was funny." She laughed again.

"I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours."

Fred and George put their arm around Professor Dumbledore's shoulders. "Look! We're triplets!" everyone burst out laughing once again. Some had fallen off their seat and others had tears running down their faces.

Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter.

* * *

The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Halloween, a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner.

"There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in," Dean said. "That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth."

"We can't have a Slytherin champion!"

"And all the Hufflepuffs are talking about Diggory," said Seamus contemptuously. "But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks."

"Guys, be nice… Cedric's sweet. You lot can take some lessons from him." Bloom said. All the boy's gave her a small glare but she just smiled at them.

"Listen!" said Hermione suddenly.

People were cheering out in the entrance hall. They all swivelled around in their seats and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way.

A tall black girl who played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina came over to them, sat down, and said, "Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!"

"You're kidding!" said Ron, looking impressed.

"Are you seventeen, then?" asked Harry.

"Course she is, can't see a beard, can you?" said Ron.

"I had my birthday last week," said Angelina.

"Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering," said Hermione. "I really hope you get it, Angelina!"

"Thanks, Hermione," said Angelina, smiling at her.

"Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory," said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their table to scowl heavily at him.

"Hey, Ron," said Harry suddenly. "It's your friend…"

The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the veela-girl. Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly.

Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks.

* * *

Bloom carried Jiji in her arms as she went to visit Hagrid. She wanted to get him to look at Jiji – there was something off about him. But she never made it, she came cross Miss Anacaona.

She looked really sad.

"Miss Anacaona, are you alright?" Bloom

"Oh." Anacaona jumped. "Oh yes I am… Bloom, is it?" Bloom nodded. "Thanks for asking, please call me Aurora."

"Oh right… are you sure you're okay? You looked really sad just now." Bloom said

Aurora smiled sadly, "Yes, I just received news that my friends died a long time ago… I guess I'm still in shock. I had hoped to see them once last time. Even if it was from afar… but that's an impossible dream now."

A deep silence followed after her words. Bloom bit her lip, thinking of what to say. What could she say? She never lost a friend to death but she had lost much more.

"My friend Luna once told me that the dead don't truly leave us. We might not be able to see them but they're still here. In our hearts, I know it sounds cheesy but it helps…" Bloom swallowed. "I lost both of my parents really young; I was only three months…"

Aurora looked at her with sad eyes and then move towards her. She placed a hand on Bloom's shoulder; "I know that you're parents love you though, every parent loves their child. Sure I know there some that don't, but your parents protected you to the end didn't they?" Bloom nodded. "That means they love you greatly. I know that my parents love me but… they're afraid of the world. Before I could finish my year here, they came and took me away by force. They didn't even let me say goodbye – it was an important day for me. I was going to tell someone something really important but I didn't get the chance. Now they don't even want to see me near them… I tried to contact them in some way but the letters would always come back… and now… they're gone."

Jiji purred.

"Is that your cat?" Aurora asked as she eyed Jiji.

"Yes, he's a quite – well he's special, you can say. His name is Jiji." Bloom answered. "I was about to take him to Hagrid to see if he could take a look at him."

"I haven't talked to Hagrid in ages… May I join you?"

"Of course."

* * *

"Bloom! Aurora! I didn't get to talk to you last night. How have you been?" Hagrid asked while patting Aurora's back. Aurora gave him a weak smile.

"Oh, I'm fine…"

"No you're not." Hagrid correctly sadly. "I heard that you just found out… now tell me, how are you?"

Aurora sniffed. "As good as I could be right now, I guess… Bloom wanted you to check on her cat; Jiji."

Bloom saw that Aurora really wanted to change the topic. "Hagrid, Jiji is acting strange… he's been – well he's not really acting like a cat, expect that he doesn't like water. But he seems to know what really is going on. Like when I'm in trouble he runs to me… is that normal."

Hagrid chuckled. "Normal yes but also rare… it seems that Jiji has become your familiar, Bloom."

"Familiar?"

"A familiar is an animal that bonds with a human or half human." Aurora said looking at Jiji. "It's rare nowadays. But not unheard of – it seems that Jiji has promised to protect you." Aurora scratched Jiji's jaw. "Fawks is Albus's familiar… it's a great thing to have."

"Oh…" Bloom looked down at Jiji and smiled. You're the best you know that Jiji."

Jiji meow as if saying, well of course.

* * *

When they entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Bloom went to her usual seat but not before waving goodbye at Aurora. Aurora smiled and went to her spot up by Professor Snape. He gave Aurora a nod. Bloom smiled again. It was nice that Professor Snape had another friend – that way he won't be too lonely.

Fred and George - clean-shaven again - seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well.

"Hope it's Angelina," said Fred

Bloom sat down next to Ginny, they both wave at Luna; who was sitting in her seat.

The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting, and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet, Bloom saw Professor Snape roll his eyes at the actions of the students while Aurora laughed at his face.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students.

He truly was an overgrown teenager.

Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness.

The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting… A few people kept checking their watches…

"Any second," Lee Jordan whispered

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"No surprises there!" yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Bloom saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

"Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. "Knew you had it in you!"

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

The girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

"Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. "Disappointed" was a bit of an understatement, Bloom thought. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms. It was pretty sad to watch really.

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next…

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"

The uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real —"

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out - "Harry Potter."

Bloom stared at Dumbledore… "_What!"_

* * *

**Wow 23 pages… I have a few chapters written already because I have two exams back to back next week. I hope this will be able to cover it. Please review and thank my Beta Mira SSSB.**


	51. The Four Champions

**March 31, 2012**

**Hi guys!**

**You won't believe the night I had! There was a huge storm… not just huge I mean HUGE! Lightening, thunder and hail the size of big fat rocks! Windows were broken, trees were knocked down, cars were bent, and fences were torn apart. My whole neighbor was flooded! It was two to four inches of water inside everyone's house. It got to the point where the city was starting to get people to safety, but thankfully the rain stopped. Though no one went to bed until 4 in the am or 6. The storm only last two and half hours! Non-stop…**

**I can't believe that Harry Potter didn't win KCA ward. Arg! Kristen what's her name won? What in the world? She's not good; she looks the same in every scene!**

**Sorry I couldn't hold back… Harry Potter should have won.**

* * *

**The Four Champions**

* * *

Bloom sat there, staring at the little parchment in Professor Dumbledore's hand. Ever so slowly, she turned to look at her brother. He looked beyond shock and panickly – if that's even a word. Bloom tried to say something but she couldn't say anything barely move her mouth. Any words she tried to say died in her mouth. Little gasps were the only thing heard.

There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."

Bloom nodded and swallowed. "I believe you Harry." She whispered, she wasn't sure he heard it.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

"Go on," Hermione whispered, giving Harry a slight push.

Bloom gave a small cry.

Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. To Bloom it felt like an immensely long walk for Harry; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and Bloom could see hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon Harry, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder.

"Well… through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

Harry went thru the door and was out of Bloom's sight.

Everything was silent until Bloom snapped. "What's going on?" she shouted as she stood up. "Why did – why did his name come out? He didn't – he – oh my god!"

Bloom was having a panic attack. Someone was out to kill her brother! Again! Everyone was talking at once… she didn't hear what was being said. All she knew was that Harry needed her. She jumped out of her spot at the table and ran to the door Harry. She was about to get near it when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her away. She turned around and saw Professor Snape.

"Let me go!" she shouted.

Everyone – mostly Hogwarts students – gasped at her, no one – especially a student – had ever yelled at Professor Snape.

"I need to get to Harry!"

"You can't. You must wait until Professor Dumbledore brings them out." He said, he didn't even glare at her for yelling at him; surprising the students even more.

Bloom was breathing fast now. "But – but he… I need to get to him… he needs me." She pleaded. Her heart beat was racing faster each second she didn't have Harry near her. To make sure he was okay – what were they going to do to him. She felt someone's had on her shoulder.

Aurora

"It'll be alright, Bloom." Bloom could see panic in Aurora's eyes. "I'll go check on him… I won't let him get in trouble. Go to your friends, you and Harry will need them more than ever now."

Bloom couldn't move though. She felt like every ounce of energy was gone – how was she going to be able to get to her seat? She was being pulled somewhere though she had no idea where or who was pulling her. Next thing she knew, she was in her common room. Ginny was standing near her – playing with her hair, a gesture that always made Bloom keep calm. Hermione was pacing around, Ron was nowhere in sight. Fred and George was keeping everyone away from her, they were always treating her like a younger sister and protected her when Harry couldn't.

Bloom had her elbows on her knees and face in her hands.

She was trying to think of a way Harry could get out of the tournament. She had read about it – someone always died. Always! Harry – how could he win? Or better yet, survive? There had to be a way to help him and then it hit her! Bloom jumped up, causing everyone else to jump.

"Bloom, what is it?"

"What's wrong?"

"The mirror!" she shouted and ran up to her room. Everyone stared after her in complete confusion.

Bloom opened her trunk and started pulling, yanking things out until she found a familiar mirror; she brushed any dust from it. "SIRIUS! REMUS!" she shouted into it. Anyone that heard her would think she was crazy from shouting into a mirror. She waited about ten seconds before she saw both Sirius and Remus's worried and startled faces.

"Bloom, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Did a boy force himself on you? Tell me his name so I can kill him."

Bloom shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Physically… it's Harry."

Remus and Sirius paled. "What happened to Harry, Bloom."

"Someone signed him up for the tournament and he was – he was picked… they're making him – he has to do it." Bloom cried out. She was too frighten to cry tears.

"WHAT?" Sirius shouted. Remus was deadly pale; his eyes looked ready for fall out.

"What do you mean his name was picked?" Remus asked.

"HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?" Sirius continued to shout.

"I don't know… they won't let me in the meeting. I'm in my dorm. I don't know what to do… I think Professor Dumbledore might contact you soon. I'm going to be waiting for Harry."

"We're on our way over there now." Remus said; Bloom could see Sirius fighting to put his cloak on – which if the situation wasn't so bad, Bloom would have laughed. Bloom nodded and put the mirror away. She went back down stairs to see some students partying like nothing. How could they? Don't they know what was going on?

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Bloom shouted at them. Everyone stopped dancing – Bloom was glad her friends were smart enough not to party like the rest of them – they stared at her, some with a hint of fear. An angry Bloom Lily Potter was the last thing someone wanted, especially when it was aimed at them. "Don't you see what's happening? Someone put Harry's name in! Someone is trying to kill him again! And you're having a party! You should be ashamed of yourselves – stop thinking of glory and think of his safety! Someone always dies in this tournament – always! Harry is only fourteen! What are his chances of surviving and you're having a party! Are you out of your mind?" Bloom was panting like crazy. Bloom's powers acting up now. Her hair was floating gently around her – it looked a like a live flame. Her eyes were slit like a cat's; her whole body was shaking like mad.

Abe placed his hand on hers. Calming her down just a bit, she thinned her lips; as if trying to hold back a scream. No one partied after that. Bloom kept singing a song in her head; singing always relaxed her.

_I won't give up_

_No I won't break down_

_Sooner than it seems life turns around_

_And I will be strong_

_Even if it all goes wrong_

_When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe_

_Someone's watching over me_

And the finally, Harry came in. He looked shaken, Bloom tackled him into a hug – she didn't cry. She was going to be strong and help him in every way possible. He was shaking – or maybe it was just her making him shake. She knew he would be putting up a strong front, but inside he was going crazy, she knew he was.

Fred put a hand on Harry's shoulder, "We know you didn't sign up for this, Harry." He said. "If you need any help, let us know." George nodded beside him. Bloom could have kissed them right there and then but she didn't want to let Harry go just yet.

"Harry, I already told Sirius and Remus." Bloom started. "They're on their way here."

Harry nodded. "I need to sit down." Bloom helped guide him to the nearest chair. And then Ron finally showed up. He sat next to Harry and handed him the cloak. Harry nodded in thanks. As soon as it got too much, Harry put it on – when no one was looking – and left. Bloom knew he needed time on his own. Bloom – with Ginny's help – went up to her dorm.

"We'll help Harry, Bloom." Ginny said. "We'll be there for him."

Bloom climbed into bed, she was so tired but she couldn't rest.

One thing was for sure

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Class was awful – there were people asking her how Harry got in over and over again. She stated hexing people – well people that asked. Professor Snape saw her once hex some guy from Hufflepuff, he didn't give her detention but grinned when she hexed the guy. She had hexed him so bad, that he had to stay in the hospital wing for a week while Madam Poppy was trying to find out what spell had he been hit with.

Sirius and Remus had decided to stay in Hogsmead. Bloom and Harry went to visit them as soon as Professor McGonagall let them. Remus and Sirius checked them over to make sure they weren't hurt and then had them explain what had happened.

Sirius took Harry outside for a bit when Bloom remembered something. "Oh Remus, I found the American Witch that saved me."

"You did?" he asked looking up from the books he bought with him, all about things Harry might need to know to survive. "What's her name? I'll like to thank her." Remus slipped some tea.

"She came a few days ago. She's Aztec, she told us herself. Her name is Aurora Anacaona." Bloom answered. Remus split out his tea and began coughing like a mad man. His face was turning purple. Bloom was patting his back hard, trying to help him clear his air way. "Remus, are you okay?"

"Sorry." Remus patted his mouth with a napkin. "Did you say Aurora Anacaona?" he asked, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Yes." Bloom answered confused. "Why? Do you know of her?"

She saw him swallow. "Bloom." He said. "I did know her… but I haven't seen her in years… Bloom, don't tell Sirius about her… not yet… I want to see her first. To make sure it's the Aurora I once knew."

"Okay… I can take you there now… she's in the castle. She's Professor Dumbledore's guest."

"Yes, take me now."

* * *

Bloom took Remus to the castle; he didn't say anything but there was a slight brow on his face. A clear sign that he was thinking… Bloom wasn't sure what was happening – Remus was shocked when she had told him about Aurora. He must know who she is; it was clear in his facial expression. Aurora was usually with Professor McGonagall or Snape.

Bloom looked up when she heard laughter.

It was Aurora and Professor Snape. She was laughing at something while Professor Snape was giving her a weak glare – for a second Bloom thought she saw him pout.

Aurora looked up and then stopped walking. Her eyes widen at the sight next to Bloom. She mouthed something like she was trying to speak but couldn't. Bloom looked at Professor Snape next; he looked annoyed at the sight of Remus.

"Re – Remus?"

Bloom looked between Remus and Aurora.

She saw Remus swallow again. "It really is you, Aurora."

Aurora gave a weak smile and looked ready to cry but not of sadness… of happiness. She gave Remus a timid look, as if asking if it would be okay to get closer to him. Remus gave her a small nod.

Aurora walked slowly at first and then – she ran towards Remus, she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly. Remus gave a small laugh as he hugged her back. Bloom thought she saw Remus' eyes tear up. She had no idea what was going on – but she still smiled. The only time Bloom had seen Remus like this was when he was reunited with Sirius.

"I didn't think I'll ever see you again." Aurora said between sniffs.

"Where have you been?" Remus asked when they let go. "We tried to contact you so many times… but you never answered."

Aurora shook her head. "I never got anything. I sent so many letters… so many times I tried to escape but I couldn't. I was trapped… and then… and then I got that letter… it said that none of you wanted anything to do with me… I thought you guys hated me…"

"What letter? We never wrote anything like that…" Remus said. "I sent letters asking where you were, and how you were…"

"But… it was signed and everything…"

Remus looked confused. "We never sent anything like that, Aurora… you have to believe me. We would have never sent something like that to you. It was thanks to you that Lily and James were able to take the step from best friends to a real couple. No matter how much we told them – you helped them. You found out what I was and confronted me about it, you didn't run away, you only hugged me and smiled. Plus, you kept Sirius in line."

Aurora smiled at the memories.

"You knew my parents?" Bloom asked

Aurora turned to look at her with a sad smile. "Do you remember when you saw me the other day and I told you I had just found out some news. That news was about James and Lily. Your parents… yes, I knew them. Once upon a time…"

"You didn't know they –" Remus didn't have to continue, Aurora nodded.

"Yes… I – after that letter, I couldn't bear to know anything about England… I drown myself into my parent's business and arrangements. If I had known about Lily and James… I would have come… I would have done something… but I didn't know."

"Maybe we should continue this somewhere else." Professor Snape said. "Bloom, please come with me… they must talk now."

"Okay… I'll see you later?" Bloom looked at Remus hopefully.

Remus smiled. "Yes, Bloom. And remember, you can't tell no one yet of these… I'll be the one to tell… but you can tell Harry."

Bloom nodded and then followed Professor Snape.

* * *

_Seventeen year old Remus was sitting with his friend at the Gryffindor table. James and Lily were sitting next to each other; every time they made eye contact they would blush bright red. It took all of his might not to laugh at them, though Sirius; who was sitting next to him. Put his fist in his mouth trying to hold it in. Subtle, but Lily and James didn't seem to notice, at all. _

_It was their first day of their last year at Hogwarts… this was their year._

_The sorting began like normal; it was hard to imagine that they were ever that small. Peter was falling asleep in his seat… Lily and James were trying to sneak pecks at each other… Sirius was complaining that he was hungry, like always._

_Finally the last first year was sorted into Ravenclaw._

"_Finally!" Sirius shouted._

"_MR. BLACK!" Professor McGonagall snapped._

"_Hehe… oops, sorry Professor."_

_Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "Sorry Mr. Black but there is one more person to be sorted…"_

"_What? Who?" Sirius asked looking around. "I don't see any more midgets."_

"_MR. BLACK, don't make me take points off already." Professor McGonagall said._

"_Sorry Professor."_

_Once again, Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, this year is a first. For the first time we have a transfer student from overseas. This student is new to our country…"_

"_Whoever is this git is." Sirius whispered as Professor Dumbledore continued to talk. "I already hate him… making me wait for my food… unbelievable… when I get my hands on him."_

"_Sirius, shut up." Lily ordered._

_Which Sirius did as told. He had been at the end of her wand too many times for his liking. "Now, please welcome Aurora Anacaona."_

"_Dang, I can't hit a girl…" Sirius snapped his fingers. "Let's hope she looks like a bloke."_

_But she didn't even look close to looking like a bloke. The girl that appeared next to Professor McGonagall was really pretty and in fact a girl. Sirius's jaw fell – along with a couple of other guys – if this wasn't real life, his jaw would have hit the floor. The girl had waist length hair which seemed to change between a light red to dark brown, depending on where the light hit, soft curls surrounded her frame. Her eyes reminded Sirius of Doe eyes; big brown innocent eyes. And she was tiny; one of the smallest girls he had ever seen. Almost everything about her screamed FRAGILE… but there was something in the way she walked and stood that made him think Warrior, Fighter…_

_She said something to Professor McGonagall; she smiled at the girl and nodded. The girl – Aurora Anacaona sat on the stool._

"_How old is she?" Sirius asked._

"_She's in our year… I think she's seventeen." Remus answered as he watched Sirius stare at the new girl. He laughed quietly… Sirius had that look- the look that meant he was after this girl._

_Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Remus saw several boys cross their fingers and Sirius was one of them. Remus rolled his eyes, it didn't matter if she was placed in another house, Sirius would still go after her… maybe even if she got into Slytherin. Which he doubted she would; she seemed too innocent and pure. "Come on… Come on… Come on…" he heard Sirius chant._

"_Gryffindor!" _

"_Yes!" quite a few boys shouted and stood up. Shocking the poor girl; she had jumped when people shouted and cheered. She turned to Professor McGonagall; who was glaring at her lions. She then gave a small nod at her and even a smile._

"_Miss Evan as Head Girl please help her. She'll need help adjusting to the ways of the Castle."_

_Lily stood up. "Of course, Anacaona please sit beside me."_

_Remus saw Sirius smile at his luck. _

_Anacaona walked towards Lily, each step she got closer Sirius's smile increased. He was getting into his 'charming' zone. "Thank you for accepting to help me." She said as she sat down._

_Lily waved it off. "It's no problem… it's my duty as Head Girl… my name is Lily Evans. This guy" she pointed at James. "is James Potter; Head Boy." James smiled at her warmly. Then she pointed at Peter who was blushing at her. "Peter Pettigrew… Remus Lupin." Remus gave her a smile and a nod. "And lastly Sirius Black, careful he's a major playboy."_

"_Lily, stop spreading that around." Sirius said pouting at her as his shoulders fell._

"_Well I have to warn her…"_

"_You didn't have to say that right off the bat…" Sirius said. "I'm not that bad."_

"_Yes you are." Everyone said at once._

_Sirius gaped at them. "Harsh. You people are harsh."_

_Anacaona giggled. "Don't worry." Her voice had a soft accent. Not too noticeable but it was still there. "I had my fair of playboys, none have won my heart as of yet."_

_Sirius grinned at her; "Is that a challenge?" there was a gleam in his eyes._

_Anacaona smiled. "By all means try… but I will not be hold accounted for breaking a few of your bones… or heart."_

_Sirius smiled widely. "You know what Anacaona… I think we're going to be great friends."_

_James laughed. "Only you would try to continue to hit on a girl, who clearly said she would hurt you."_

"_You're one to talk Prongs." Remus smiled, causing James and Lily to blush deep red. Anacaona smiled and Sirius laughed. Peter was eyeing back and forward between everyone._

"_Oh, one thing though." Anacaona started. "Please don't call me by my last name… I'm not used to people calling me by it plus you guys have an accent; which doesn't go to well with my name."_

"_Well you have a funny name." Sirius said tactlessly. "I thought it was a snake's name… for a moment there I thought you would be sorted into Slytherin."_

_Aurora smiled. "Yeah, I've been told that often… but you're the last person that should say that, Serious Black." She ended Black with a click sound._

_Sirius blushed a bit_

"_She's got you there Mate." James laughed as Lily giggled._

_That was how Aurora Anacaona entered their lives. How her fate was tangled with theirs and all of England's people._

* * *

The next day, Bloom jinxed all the 'Potter Stinks' badges, with the help of Fred and George; they now said: "My father will hear about this…" there was a pink of Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret. Malfoy had tried to fix them but it was no use. Remus and Sirius had taught her how to lock spells – something that came in handy. But it wasn't enough; Bloom knew Malfoy would soon get something worse out. She had to get him before he got Harry. She had to get him first and get him good; she was aiming at one thing; Malfoy's pride and manhood.

She smiled when she had her idea. Now all she needed was –

"Fred." She shouted as she ran into the common room. "George."

"What is it Bloom?" George asked

"Is someone bothering you again?" Fred continued

"Cause we can deal with that if you want." George finished.

"No none of that… but I have this idea and I wanted your help with It." both of them saw the glint in her eyes, they smiled evilly and nodded.

"Come to our office young Bloom…"

"Yes, let's go."

They placed their arms around her shoulders and they walked out of the common room together, when they got to a clear and safe area Bloom explained her idea. "What hurts a guy the most?" she asked. "A hit to his pride." She answered. "And manhood. If we make Malfoy seem weak and girly… well think of what would people say." She smiled at them. "You know, girls can deal with pain a lot more than guys. We tolerate more pain than you guys, it's true. Now, if – let's say – Malfoy were to get a 'period' like girls – don't make that face, I know this is uncomfortable for you two – now if Malfoy were to get it, out of nowhere. What would he do?"

She let her words sink in. Fred and George stared at her and then at each other. Both smiled evilly once more and then turned to her. "We're in. what do we do?"

"That's what I need help with… I got the pain thing for it… but I can't make him well bleed… it won't be real blood, just some umm juice I guess. I don't know… I couldn't figure it out, so I came to you… this is the biggest prank a guy could fall for and you know it."

* * *

"Rita Skeeter… who's that?" Bloom asked.

"Reporter for Daily Prophet… she's a cow. If she gets near you, head the other way." Harry said. He had been telling her about the Wand Weighing that morning. Sirius and Remus were with him since he was a minor and it was against the law to interview a minor without a guardian present.

"Harry… I need to tell you something. But… you can't tell Sirius… at least, not yet."

"What is it Bloom?" he asked, clearly worried.

"It's nothing bad, but…" Bloom started. "You remember Aurora?"

"Yeah, what about her?"

"She knew our parents." She said clearly.

Harry stared at her for a while. "Knew them as in general or as really _knew_ them?"

"As in really knew them, when we went to talk to Sirius and Remus, I told Remus about her. He was shocked at first, but asked if I could take him to her. So, I did. They had a reunion… Remus said I could tell you but he will be the one to tell Sirius."

"Why didn't she tell us?"

Bloom looked down, "She just found out that our parents are gone. Remus knows everything, I think. We just have to wait now."

"Oh right… but I won't like it…"

"I know."

* * *

**I know it's a bit short but I'm really tired. And it seemed like a good way to end it. Personally, I liked the little memory I wrote. I kept reading it to make sure it was good and gave you a base of what to think. Please review and thank my Beta Mira SSSB.**


	52. The First Task for Many

**Hey Guys,**

**I have like huge exams this month. Exams before Finals, and then Finals plus essays! I'm about jump off a cliff right now. I feel like passing out. The repair people removed my walls so now I have no peace and quiet. I don't know how am going to write this month. Plus another T-storm is coming; I'm in deep do-do… **

**Anyways please let me know what you think about this chapter. **

**Thank You.**

* * *

**The First Task for Many**

* * *

"Excuse me?"

"I have to face a dragon."

"What?"

"I have to face a dragon."

"Wha – WHAT?" Bloom shouted, "What do you mean you have to face a _dragon_? But – but that – that's not – _Are they out of their minds?"_

Harry had just explained how he found out about the First task. Hagrid had led him into the Forbidden Forest and showed him the dragons… _Dragons… _four real life deadly dangerous dragons… her brother was going to face a dragon. This couldn't be real… this had to be some kind of dream. "That's not all; I bet that Krum and Fleur already know too. I saw their Headmasters there too. I have to find Cedric and tell him."

"Do you know where to find him?" Bloom asked weakly. She sat weakly in her seat. A dragon, why was she even surprised?

"I don't know but I'm going to look for him before class. I hope I'll be able to find him soon… Can you do me a favor?" Harry asked looking at her pleading.

"What is it?"

"Can you look up things about dragons…? Weak point and things like that."

Bloom smiled. "Of course… do you know what kind they are?"

"Common Welsh Green, Swedish Short-Snout, Chinese Fireball and Hungarian Horntail. Charlie – Ron's brother – was there…"

"Don't worry, I'm on it!"

"Oh one more thing, Sirius sent a letter. He says to stay away from Karkaroff. He used to be a Death-Eater…"

* * *

Bloom, Luna, Ginny and Hermione were in the library searching for any information they could find on dragons. Bloom had asked for help, Luna had smiled and agreed quickly, so had Hermione. Ginny blushed and agreed quite quickly. They went thru rows of shelves and tons of books… so far they only found about the weakness in their eyes. Dragons were so strong and it was amazing. No wonder they were feared for so long.

There weren't many people at the library, only them and Viktor Krum; who was looking up at them frequently. Bloom noticed that he wasn't looking quite at them but at Hermione. Bloom hid her smile behind her book, she would have told Hermione but then she knew that Hermione would deny it or freak out.

Bloom laughed quietly, the girls looked up at her questionably. She shook her head and continued to read her book. When Hermione stood up, ready to search for another book. Bloom looked through the corner of her eye and saw the Krum's were following Hermione. Bloom quickly whispered to Luna and Ginny.

"Don't look now, but I think Mr. Krum might have a thing for our dear Hermione Granger. He keeps looking towards her."

Ginny's eye beamed as she smiled.

Luna stared dreamlike and tilted her head. "I saw that too but I didn't think it was anything strange."

Ginny giggled. "That is so cute. I don't think she should tell her. Knowing her, she'll think we're lying or she'll freak out."

Hermione came back into view. "I can't find anything more… I have to meet up with Harry and Ron. I'll see you later girls…"

"Bye Hermione…"

They watched as Hermione left, the girls quickly turned to see Krum staring after her. He got up a minute later and left the opposite direction. "He so likes her." Bloom giggled.

"Oh, but what about Ron?" Ginny asked.

"What is meant to happen will happen." Luna said calmly. "We shouldn't get involved. It might make things worse than they already are."

* * *

"Yo. Bloom… Come over here."

"Hurry Bloom, we got something."

Bloom had been walking towards Professor Snape's office when Fred and George called her out. "What is it?"

"We got the '_thing'_ ready. Only we can't make it show anything but we made it last a week – we made a couple of them but formed them into candy, we want to give it to the ferret first and then a few days later to the rest of the snakes."

Bloom stared at the small candy in their hands, wrapped in shiny material. "I agree but not all snakes… just the prats."

They rolled their eyes. "Fine, but we would like to do it during dinner, don't know what day. It won't take effect between midnight and early morning."

"Personally, I can't wait." George smiled.

"I agree oh handsome brother of mine. I agree."

Bloom laughed. "Maybe you guys can make this into a product, you know for your joke show. I'll give you the potion for it."

They smiled at her. "Deal but only if you'll become our partner, you got some good ideas."

"I just love it when people piss you off." Fred said.

"So do I. You get great payback ideas." George smiled at her.

"As long as you two don't get me mad." Bloom smiled at them sweetly.

"Will do, Baby Potter, will do."

* * *

Aurora sat on her window stand with her arms around her knees. She stared out the window at the ground in her view. She watched as the students walked around. She remembered when not so long ago it had been her and her friends. One thing caught her eye, a familiar tree. She smiled at the sight of it.

It was where she had gotten an accidental kiss, right on that tree's roots. She had been sitting on one of the branches at the top, just staring at the horizon when _he_ appeared. They talked for a while about almost anything and everything. But then it was getting dark, he climbed down first and then waited for her. She slipped and fell down faster than she would have liked. When she opened her eyes, she was staring into his wide eyes… and her lips were on his.

For days they couldn't be in the same room together and it had taken weeks for them to be able to make eye contact without quickly looking away from each other.

Aurora touched her lips; it was like she could still feel his lips on her sometimes. She sighed, that was impossible now.

Then there was a knock on her door. "Come in."

Severus walked into her room. "How are you feeling?"

Aurora smiled. "I'm fine Severus, really. I just guess the shock of seeing Remus was a little strong for me…"

Severus fought the need to roll his eyes. "I don't really understand why but … the feast is about to start. Are you ready?"

Aurora nodded.

"Remember to keep your mind clear. We don't want _that_ to happen again."

Aurora pouted. "One time! One time and you never let me forget it!"

And then Severus Snape laughed

* * *

Remus Lupin knew that he had to tell Sirius. But the question was how? How could he tell his best friend that Aurora was back and not only that – that she was the one that save Harry and the others? Out of the five of them Sirius hadn't taken her '_leave'_ the hardest, not that they didn't miss her, Sirius was just more affected of how it happened.

He had seen when _they_ came.

At least twenty men and woman in cloaks he had never seen; Sirius had showed them his memory, hoping to catch a clue to where they had taken her and to know who had taken her.

Aurora had been running towards Hogsmead in tears, desperately trying to reach them before it was too late. She looked fearful and pained. Sirius had taken off running when he sensed her coming. They had followed him but it was too late.

The witches and wizards surrounded Aurora. She was saying something to them; something they couldn't hear. Her tears were falling faster as she tried to escape. Then they placed their hands on the ground, causing it to glow blue around them. Aurora looked up at Sirius and the others… she shouted something but the blue fire's roar didn't let them hear what she had said.

Sirius began to cast Aguamenti and aimed that the blue fire. The others quickly did the same.

In Sirius's memory, he had been able to make eye contact with Aurora for just a moment. They clearly heard her shout his name and reached out to him when some explosion happened. It was a loud bang causing them to be pushed back several meters. By the time they looked up, she and the others were gone. Sirius screamed and shouted her name.

Only to be carried by the wind.

The only proof they had of what had happened was some sort of seal on the ground.

James had Peter run to get Professor Dumbledore while they tried to figure out what the seal was. But none knew what it was. Professor Dumbledore explained that Aurora's mother had summoned her and by her homeland law, neither he nor anyone could stop them from taking her. They had arrived at his office ordering him to summon Aurora. When Aurora realized what was happening she had run to get to them; to tell them something. But it was not meant to be…

They had tried to find out her location but not even Professor Dumbledore knew where they had taken her. For Aurora was the heiress to a land that outsiders were not allowed in and no one could ever find it without the improvable of the court.

Letters after letters they sent but none had made it. Lily had hoped to find her before her wedding, James had hoped she would be there when he had proposed to Lily, Remus had hoped she would return by finals; knowing she'll faint if she missed them. Peter had hoped she returned alive. And Sirius had hoped she returned everyday he opened his eyes.

Now Remus sat on the corner of his bed at the local inn. He had to tell him today… Sirius couldn't just run into her without knowing. So now he was trying to figure out how to gentle the blow. Remus looked out the window remembering the night at the World Cup. When Bloom had told them that an American witch had saved them and described her, Remus instantly knew what Sirius had been thinking. It all sounded a lot like Aurora… he had seen the hope in Sirius's eyes that night.

"_It had to be her Remus." Sirius had said. "That witch sounded just like her! The hair, the height heck even the way she acted was her!" _

It had taken a while for Remus to calm Sirius down. Without any proof, Sirius promised not to get too hopeful. But there was still hope in his eyes. Remus knew that he missed her. So did he but getting his hopes up would not be good for them, they had lost so much already.

"Oi! Remus!"

Remus looked up and saw Sirius coming inside the room. "Harry just called him. He found out what the first task is. Its effing dragons! Are they trying to kill my Godson? I swear I have no idea what people are thinking these days! Letting a fourteen year old into this tournament! Honestly!"

Remus let him rant as his shock sunk in. Dragons, why was he even surprised? He quickly mentally checked on everything he knew about dragons. Looks like he was in a need to go to the library.

"Sirius I need to tell you something."

**[The End! … jk well I was thinking it but no I'm not totally evil.]**

"What is it?"

Remus swallowed. "I think you should sit down."

Sirius gave him a confused look but sat down nevertheless. "So, what is it?" he asked. "We can't just sit here. We need to help Harry."

"I know Sirius but I have to tell you this before you enter the castle. It's really important. So please just stay and listen."

Sirius nodded knowing that Remus wouldn't have stopped from helping Harry unless it was important. "Okay… I'm all ears."

Remus swallowed again. "You remember Aurora Anacaona?"

He saw Sirius stiffen and his eyes widen. Sirius then turned around and looked out the window with a blank look on his face. "What about her?" he asked, his voice sounded raw.

"She's back."

Sirius got a whiplashed on his neck when he turned around to stare at Remus with disbelief in his eyes, "What?"

"She's here. She's at the castle… I saw her today."

"What?"

Remus began to explain how Bloom told him that she had found the witch that had saved her. When Bloom had told him her name, Remus wanted to double check it was really her… for both of their sakes. Remus also explained why she never returned. Her mother had her trapped in their village for years… she was not allowed out of there but when she was allowed into America, she was constantly watched, making sure she didn't escape. He also mentioned that she only relieved one letter from them claiming that they never wanted to see her again.

For the longest time, Sirius stayed quiet. Remus didn't say anything at all. He didn't know what to say… ever so slowly Sirius began to move. "I – I need some air…" Remus didn't try to stop him. Like James, when Sirius said he needed some air, he meant it.

Sirius walked mindlessly, thinking of what Remus had just told him. She was here. She was not a mile away from him and yet she hadn't seeked him out, why?

Did she really think he hated her?

To escape his thoughts, he became Padfoot. He ran as fast as he could to the castle. He just wanted to make sure it was really her. Just a glance at her… that's all he wanted. Nothing more… he sniffed the air, hoping to catch her scent. And then it was…

Strawberry Vanilla with a hint of Lavender

He remembered that that was her favorite ice cream. Once _accidently_ on purpose he was able to get into the girl's dorm room thru the window… he wanted to scare her a bit. But then he suddenly needed to use the bathroom. He looked around the bathroom and saw her shampoo bottle which was scented Strawberry Vanilla but her soap bottle was Lavender. He snooped around and also noticed that her lotions were either; Vanilla, Chocolate or Honey Oatmeal… no wonder he got along with her… she smelled like food. Unfortunately for him, she had found him in there while he was putting Honey Oatmeal lotion on his face. She turned red at the sight at him, since she was only wearing a towel. It seemed that she was getting ready to take a shower. She had cursed him so bad he couldn't walk right for a week and she jinxed him with all types of curse.

He stopped when her scent got closer and strong and then he heard it.

Her laugh

She was walking with Snape

For the first time in his life, he was jealous of Snape. He remembered when they became friends… only he and Remus knew of it though. Sirius had refused to talk to her or even look at her for a few days.

Aurora took a different turn from Snape and waved at him goodbye. Sirius knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. He followed her as she walked around the grounds. She suddenly turned and saw him.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Hey boy… Are you lost?"

Sirius whined

She got closer to him and sat in front of him and smiled. "You're a beautiful dog, you know that?" Sirius barked happily. "Your eyes though… they remind me of someone I once knew…" Sirius barked again. "You wanna know who? Alright… let me think… okay, you see I used to come here so long ago… I made wonderful friends. Friends that I thought I would forever be with… but then…"

She told him about everything. A part of him thought she just needed to voice it out, that she didn't care if he had been listening or not. She just needed to let it out. By the end, she massaged the back of his neck. "You're such a good boy… I have to go now but I hope I'll see you again." she kissed his forehead and left.

When she was gone, Sirius turned back into his human form. Slowly his right hand reached to touch the spot she had kissed him. He looked down as a smile formed on his face.

* * *

It was the day of the first task and Bloom was so nervous for Harry she nearly threw up. Sirius and Remus were going to be stationed in the Champions tent, just in case. Bloom was going to sit with her friends; she hoped they could keep her calm throughout the task. Harry had told her that he did tell Cedric about the dragons.

"You ready Bloom?" Alex asked her. He was sitting next to her during breakfast as the others got things ready.

"Not really. I just want this day over with… one good year, that's all I ask."

Lots of students were getting ready to lead to the arena now. Bloom felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to see Terry behind her. "Oh, umm hi Terry, what's up?"

Terry smiled. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay. Rumor has it that anyone who bugged you this month would get cursed pretty badly. So I waited until you cooled down. Though I understand why you're tensed. So how are you?"

"Fine… just nervous and … well personally I would love to go far away and hide under a rock for the next decade."

"I'm sure Harry will be fine…"

"I hope so."

"Want to go together? My friends have seats saved." Terry asked

Before Bloom could speak, Alex spoke for her. "Sorry but we have our friends waiting for us."

"Oh, well I didn't know… I was just being polite."

Alex smiled coldly. "Yeah, I figured… come on, we have to go now. Or we won't get seats." He stood up and helped Bloom to her feet.

"I'll see you later Terry." Bloom cried as she was pulled away from him.

* * *

Micky was waiting for them near the arena. "Abe and the others are holding our sitting. We better hurry though… Abe's getting more nervous each – "

The rest of his sentence was drowned by a shout of "Bloom!" before any of them could turn around; Bloom was tackled into a hug. Bloom looked down and saw Timmy Greyback. "Tim – Timmy?" Bloom gasped. "What are you doing here?"

Timmy looked up at her. "I came to see you silly! I saw you from other there." Timmy pointed at an area. "I was so happy that I ran all the way here. I know Harry is in the contest! i'm going to be cheering for him."

"Guys! What's taking you so – whose the kid?" Abe seemed to have run out of patience and came to get them. He did not expect to see a little boy hugging Bloom. "Bloom, please tell me he isn't yours."

Bloom was about to open his mouth to tell him who Timmy was but someone was shouting over them. "Timmy! Don't you dare run off like that again." Bloom and the guys turned to see Matthew Greyback running towards them. "What were you thinking running off like – Oh? Hello Bloom."

"Hello Matthew."

"Mattie!" Timmy squealed. "Look I found Bloom!"

Matthew gave him a small glare. "Timmy, if you run off like that again we're going straight home. Do you hear me?"

"I'm sorry Mattie… I saw Bloom and I ran."

"What are you two doing here?" Bloom asked.

"Well Timmy really wanted to see you and the Headmaster told us that we could visit during the first task. Timmy begged our parents and here we are. I hope you don't mind."

Bloom shook her head. "No, it's fine… I'm just…"

"She's worried about her brother." Abe finished for her. He stood close to Bloom the moment he saw Matthew getting close to them. The tension seemed to increase. "Let's go, Luna and Ginny are saving our seats." Abe grabbed Bloom's hand and pulled her away with Micky and Alex right behind them.

Bloom turned around to wave at Timmy and Matthew. "I'll see you guys later!"

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" announced Bagman. "It's the start of the Triwizard Tournament." The crowd cheered. "Our champions must face a mother dragon. Each of them must get a Golden egg that is placed in the middle of the dragon's nest … our judges will decide how many points – out of ten – they will receive. Now, let the first task begin!"

Cedric went up first; he was up against a Blueish-grey Swedish Short. Bloom watched with worry as Cedric transfigured a rock into a dog. She flinched when the dragon began to chase it. At least it didn't look like Sirius – she formed a small grin on her face. She could see Sirius's face now, glaring at poor Cedric for using a dog as bait. "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow"…"He's taking risks, this one!"…"Clever move - pity it didn't work!" Half way through the chase, the Swedish Short turned to follow Cedric. Cedric was able to get the golden egg, but not without getting a burn on his side.

"One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"

She had to face a Welsh Green. She tried to enchant the dragon to sleep – most boys were enchanted as well – it seemed to be working until the dragon snored and fire came out of its noise, burning Fleur's skirt. "Oh I'm not sure that was wise!" they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. "Oh… nearly! Careful now… good lord, I thought she'd had it then!" She screamed and quickly put the fire out before carefully reaching the golden egg.

"And here comes Mr. Krum!" cried Bagman

He was facing the scarlet Chinese Fireball. Krum quickly shot a spell at the dragon's eye, "Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, the dragon toddled back and its tail was starting to land on the eggs, Bloom wanted it to stop. Why must the little dragons be harmed in this? Somehow her prays were answered. The tail seemed to bounce back. She didn't do anything, so who did? At the end, Krum was able to get the egg.

And then, finally… it was Harry's turn.

Bloom sat on the edge of her seat, each second getting closer to the bar separating her from the dragon.

Harry was facing a Hungarian Horntail.

He raised his wand.

"Accio Firebolt!" he shouted.

She turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount. "Yes!" Bloom cheered getting on her feet.

He swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground. And a second later, something miraculous happened… He dived. The Horntail's head followed him… "Great Scott, he can fly!" yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?"

Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; its head revolving on its long neck - if he kept this up, it would be nicely dizzy – _That's it!_ That was his plan. Bloom thought. Harry wanted to separate the mother dragon away from the nest, just long enough to be able to grab the egg.

Bloom screamed and dug her nails into her face. The Horntail's tail wimped Harry on his shoulder. She saw some blood ran down his arm. Someone was tugging her but she ignored it completely. She was ready to jump of the rail to get to her brother.

Now he zoomed around the back of the Horntail…

The Horntail didn't seem to want to take off; she was too protective of her eggs. Though she writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings and keeping those fearsome yellow eyes on Harry, she was afraid to move too far from them… but, Bloom thought. Harry had to persuade her to do it, or he'd never get near them… The trick was to do it carefully, gradually…

Bloom watched as Harry began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make her breathe fire to stave him off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on him. Her head swayed this way and that, watching him out of those vertical pupils, her fangs bared… Bloom whined.

Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't turn around to see who. Though it was calming, she couldn't stop watching Harry.

He flew higher. The Horntail's head rose with him, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, like a snake before its charmer… Harry rose a few more feet, and she let out a roar of exasperation. Bloom whined again. Please don't eat him.

That's it! Bloom's eyes widen. It's time to put Hestia's training to a test. Bloom used all her might to form a thin – almost visible – layer of fire to protect Harry. Now whenever the fire got to close, the shield would appear and he wouldn't get hurt. But she never tried it before and she didn't know how strong a dragon's fire could be… especially if it was a mother protecting her eggs. She only hoped it would work.

Harry was like a fly to her, a fly she was longing to swat; her tail thrashed again, but he was too high to reach now… She shot fire into the air, which he dodged… Her jaws opened wide… Bloom had a horrible flash back to the movie _Jaws_. Don't eat him! Don't eat him. Bloom kept chanting.

And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane - and Harry dived.

Harry was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs - he had taken his hands off his Firebolt - he had seized the golden egg – "YES!" Bloom jumped up and down.

"Look at that!" Bagman was yelling. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"

Bloom saw the dragon keepers – Charlie among them – rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet Harry. Bloom jumped off her seat and began to run towards the champion's tent.

"Bloom!"

"They haven't showed the points yet!"

She ignored them and ran with all her might, he had survived! Harry made it! She pulled the tent opening apart and ran in. "Harry!"

The tent was divided into cubicles; she could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least. Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while.

"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky… this is quite shallow… it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though…"

Sirius and Remus were standing next to Harry. Sirius was looking him over while Remus was talking to Harry. Bloom ran to her brother and threw herself at him. "Harry, you're okay! You're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive. Though, if you keep crushing me I might see the light sooner than planned."

"Oops…" Bloom let go, "Sorry, I was nervous."

Remus chuckled. "I can see that. You have nail markings on your face."

"Bloom, you drew blood." Sirius said. "Sit here. I'll put some saliva on it." Bloom sat next to Harry was Sirius healed her face. "I'm starting to agree with Poppy. Each year they bring something more dangerous than the next."

Remus laughed. "Who knew that the Big Bad Sirius Black would become a worried mother hen?"

Harry and Bloom snickered while Sirius gave Remus a look.

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione were running towards them. "We were so scared!" Hermione shouted while Ron shouted. "I got your score. Madame Maxime gave you an eight. Mr. Crouch gave you a nine, so did Dumbledore. Bagman gave you a ten."

"Ten? But I got hurt!"

"Harry, don't complain!" Ron yelled excitedly "But…" Ron had a sour look on his face. "Karkaroff gave you a four after he gave Krum a ten. Lousy, biased scumbag."

They laughed as Ron called Karkaroff all the names he could think of.

* * *

"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!" said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. "Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened - but that was unbelievable! Oh yeah - and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes… Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent."

Ron said that he would wait for Harry while the others went back to the school.

As Bloom and Hermione walked towards the school with Remus and Sirius a witch wearing acid-green robes stopped in front of them.

"Rita Skeeter… I write for the prophet. Tell me Bloom, how do you feel about your brother entering the tournament?"

"Excuse me?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Sirius said coldly. He pulled Bloom behind him as Remus stood in front of Hermione. "You know it's illegal to interview a minor without a guardians' consent."

Skeeter turned to Sirius. "Well if it isn't the handsome devil himself." Bloom clinched at the sound of her voice. She was hinting on Sirius – Ew! Wasn't there a rule about not flirting with a girl's guardians? "I'm not doing anything illegal; you're her guardian and I'm asking her in front of you."

"Stay away from my godkids Skeeter. I'm warning you."

Skeeter walked right up to Sirius and placed her hand on his chest. "Fine, but remember we can have our own interview… it'll be much more … private."

Bloom and Hermione's mouth dropped. Skeeter was opening hitting on Sirius! Ew! Ew! Ew! Bloom was shaking her head in disgust. She looked at Remus; who was shaking in silent laughter. He seemed to be trying really hard not to laugh out loud at the scene. Hermione was gapping, her eyes filled with disbelief. Sirius looked disgusted – beyond disgusted! He jumped back from her. "No, no… not on your life." He turned to the others. "Let's go." He pulled Bloom with him was he practically ran to the castle.

* * *

**Sorry I'm a bit late. It's been really hard this week. I wrote as much as I could. Please review and let me know your questions. I will be answering a few on the next chapter. **

**Please thank my Beta Mira SSSB**


	53. Unexpected Owls

**April 23, 2012**

**Hey**

**Like I said in the last chapter, it's going to take me a lot of time to update. I have two weeks left and… it's crazy right now. I have term papers, final projects, homework and finals to do. My chapters won't be prefect so I apologize in advance. I'm listening to **_**Bibi Bibi Bom Bom**_** right now; it's helping me type this chapter out. Plus my house is still under repair… my internet is down D: it's horrible! **

**Today is my best friend's birthday; I've known her since I was 10 and now she's 20 (I still need a few months to go.) I wish I could be with her now. But, sadly I can't. **

**Happy Birthday Wendy! I love you and I miss you, more than you can ever know. **

* * *

**Unexpected Owls**

* * *

Bloom had been trying now, for an hour to wake up Ginny. But, she wouldn't move… yesterday someone was talking about a diary and Ginny freaked out, the word 'diary' was a big no – no around Ginny. She hadn't quite recovered from Tom Riddle. Bloom didn't blame her, it was a horrifying existence. For anyone, Ginny was tough though. She didn't let it beat her; she was slowly recovering – though she still felt guilty. She apologized so much to the people who were petrified, they had forgiven her but she hadn't forgiven herself. Ginny was still scared that they would hate her or curse her whenever she wasn't looking, and she didn't blame them. Ginny said that she deserved it and nothing she could do will stop it.

Ginny had trouble sleeping last night. She kept getting nightmare, Joanna and the others didn't wake up because Bloom had asked Hermione to put a silence spell on the curtains. Bloom had gone to get Hermione when Ginny began to scream. Hermione held onto Ginny was she cried, Bloom sang a soft song to calm them all down. Passed midnight, Ginny was finally sleeping peacefully. Bloom and Hermione stayed with her a bit longer; just to make sure she wouldn't be waking up any time soon.

"Ginny, wake up… we're going to be late."

"Go away…" Ginny mumbled.

Bloom sighed. She didn't want to do this but, she had no chose. "Oh Harry! What are you doing here? It's the girl dorms."

Ginny sat up so fast it made Bloom jumped. "What?" Ginny looked around in panic, realizing Harry wasn't there she turned to glare at Bloom; who was smiling innocently. "That wasn't funny Bloom."

Bloom shook her head, "Sorry but, I disagree. I found it quite funny plus if you don't get up we're going to be late for Potions."

"Oh no!" Ginny jumped out of her bed and ran to the bathroom; moments later Bloom heard the water running. "What about breakfast?" Bloom heard Ginny shout. "Please tell me we haven't missed breakfast!"

Bloom shook her head again, Weasleys and their stomachs. "No, Luna is saving us a seat. We have potions with her today. Thank God, I don't think I could handle that idiot from Slytherin one more day." Jacob McClure was a royal idiot. He was a smaller version of Malfoy, it was disgusting. He had short buzzed cute black hair and a face that reminded Bloom of Piers. Yuck!

"Let's go! Let's go!" Ginny shouted as she finished putting on her uniform. She grabbed Bloom's hand and ran out the door. She acted like what happened last night didn't happen or maybe she was just pretending. Bloom would bet it was the latter, but, when Ginny wanted to talk, she would be there.

Breakfast was uneventful. Ginny and Luna talked about Luna's creatures while Bloom was trying to figure out what was that cry that came out of Harry's golden egg.

_"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"_

_"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules…"_

_"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry muttered, so only Hermione and Bloom could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily while Bloom smiled innocently while batting her eyes like a little girl._

_"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed._

_Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open._

"_Do you want me to open it?" Harry asked_

"_Yes!"_

"_Do you?"_

"_Harry, open the darn thing!" Bloom shouted._

"_Okay Bloom." Harry was not going to mess with his sister's temper; he knew how bad it could get._

_It was hollow and completely empty - but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing to it Bloom had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's death-day party, who had all been playing the musical saw._

_"Shut it!" Fred bellowed; his hands over his ears._

_"What was that?" said Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee… Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"_

_"It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. Bloom went to sit next to him, Neville looked really shaken. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!" Bloom stared at him, Neville had quickly assumed onto the Cruciatus Curse but, why? Had Neville ever heard someone get tortured by that curse? There was no way… Bloom wanted to ask him but, there were too many people around, she would wait._

_"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing… maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower. Harry."_

What could have made a sound like that? It wasn't a banshee sound but it was close but, banshee didn't sing. Whatever creature was it could sing. Maybe she'll just send an owl to Remus and Sirius; they might know what it was…

"Bloom, remember how Hermione tricked Fred and George?" Ginny asked as they walked to class, "All she had to do was butter them up and they spilled… honestly."

Bloom smiled at the memory.

_"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" said Fred._

_Hermione looked doubtfully at the plate he was offering her._

_Fred grinned._

_"It's all right," he said. "I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch -"_

_Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred laughed._

_"Just my little joke, Neville…"_

"_Prat." Bloom said while giving him a small glare which he smiled too and winked._

_Hermione took a jam tart. "Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"_

_"Yep," said Fred, grinning at her. He put on a high-pitched squeak and imitated a house-elf. "'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful… get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish."_

_"How do you get in there?" Hermione said in an innocently casual sort of voice._

_Bloom shook her head. Hermione would never give up._

_"Easy," said Fred, "concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and -"_

_'Great job falling for her flattery, bro',' Ron sighed, shaking his head. Ron was sitting next to Harry, watching as Hermione did her magic._

_Bloom stared at Fred with a look clearly saying, 'you're an idiot.'_

_Fred stopped and looked suspiciously at her. "Why?"_

_"Nothing," said Hermione quickly._

_"Going to try and lead the house-elves out on strike now, are you?" said George. "Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them up into rebellion?"_

_Several people chortled. Hermione didn't answer._

_"Don't you go upsetting them and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries!" said Fred warningly. "You'll put them off their cooking!"_

_Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary._

_"Oh - sorry, Neville!" Fred shouted over all the laughter. "I forgot - it was the custard creams we hexed -"_

_Within a minute, however, Neville had moulted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing._

_"Canary Creams!" Fred shouted to the excitable crowd. "George and I invented them -seven Sickles each, a bargain!"_

"_Hey George," Bloom started. "Can I get two? I want to give them to Sirius and Remus. They'll need some laughter now more than ever."_

_George smiled at her. "Sure, here." He gave her a hand full. "You can have them, Remus and Sirius are the best, only adults I know that have a sense of humor."_

_Bloom smiled, "Well… that's cause they were pranksters but in their days of Hogwarts…" Bloom smiled sweetly, "Wanna know a secret?"_

_George looked like he was trying to decide whether to say yes or not. "Sure."_

"_I know who the Marauders are." _

"_What!"_

"_I'll introduce them to you when they're here… don't worry." With that Bloom walked away towards the stairs. But not before hearing George cry out, "Fred! Fred! Bloom knows who the Marauders are! Fred!"_

* * *

_Potions was normal for Bloom, she half listened to Professor Snape has she wrote down everything she could. Today was only lecture, in their next class they would do the potion; Antipopues potion, a potion that made several boils appear if you threw it at someone, Bloom hoped she could pull of that accidently on purpose and drop – throw it – it on Jacob McClure. _

"_Potter, stay behind after class."_

"_Yes sir."_

_Luna was staring at her, "Bloom are you okay?"_

"_I think so, it's just – I'm just thinking about the next task, they're going to be harder and more dangerous, Harry was lucky this time but…"_

_Luna smiled. "I am sure he will be fine, he is your brother after all."_

_Bloom smiled, "Thanks Luna."_

_After class Bloom stayed behind but told the others to go ahead of her. "Did you need anything Professor?"_

_Professor Snape stared at her long and hard, "You weren't paying attention in class today. What's wrong? Are you thinking about Potter?"_

_Bloom gave him a small glare, "Yes, I was thinking about Harry…" she sighed, "I still can't figure out who would want to sign up Harry for this tournament. I really want to blow something up!"_

_Without warning a small starw-dumby appeared. Bloom blinked in shock and then turned to look at Professor Snape with a raised eyebrow. "It has been my existence that female will blow things up when angered. I don't want my classroom ruined, thank you." Bloom gave a small smile and then whipped her wand out. "Incendio!" fire shot out of her wand, the dumby burst into flames. _

"_Thanks, I needed that."_

"_Don't forget to do your homework; it's due next Monday…" _

"_Why must you put it the day after Hogsmead?" Bloom asked. "I'm starting to believe what the others say about you, you are evil." Bloom laughed when Professor Snape gave her a glare._

"_You can leave now."_

* * *

Bloom was walking towards the Great Hall alone, she had promised to meet Ginny and Luna there if she had slept in again, even the trill of going to Hogsmeade will not make her wake up so early. No thanks, the one Bloom Lily Potter liked to sleep in whenever she could. She had to dress warmly, since it was snowing now. As she walked behind a pair of Hufflepuff girls, she heard one of them say Abe's name.

"Okay, I know Cedric is cute and all but he's too old for us."

"Yeah, a shame though."

"Harry Potter is the cutest guy in fourth year now. I mean have you seen his eyes? They're gorgeous." Bloom felt like throwing up now.

"Yeah they are, but, everyone – in our year that is – is saying that Aberam Redfern is the cutest guy."

Bloom's eyes began to narrow.

"Yeah, and he's the sweetest. I heard that he helped a first year girl when a prat from Slytherin was picking on her. I bet she has a crush on him now, not that I blame her, of course."

Bloom bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't know why this _talk _was bugging her so much. She felt that she should set the tips of their hair on fire. But Hestia would not let her.

"His hair is so soft looking, it's so light! And his eyes!"

"I know! It's like blue and green are fighting to be dominant."

Bloom had had enough, she brushed passed them. Before she turned into the Great Hall she heard them whisper. "Oh no, do you think she heard us? She is one of his best friends?"

"Oh maybe she can hook us up with Aberam?"

Bloom snorted and stomped to her table. "Who do they think they are?" she whispered angrily. "They talk about him like he's some sort of – Arg!"

"Bloom, what's wrong?" Luna asked.

Bloom tried to smile, "It's nothing Luna. I'm still a bit sleepy." She didn't want to lie but she was not in a mood to talk about it. Luna seemed to get it and didn't ask.

"Ginny, when do we head to Hogsmeade?" Bloom asked.

"In about ten minutes. You better hurry; you still need to turn in your permission slip." Ginny said.

"Already done, Sirius wanted to turn it in – in person for me." Bloom smiled. "He hugged Professor McGonagall; she was so shocked she forgot to hex him."

They all got up and started to walk towards Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. Zonko's Joke Shop was filled with all kinds of pranking materials, Bloom could tell why Fred and George loved this shop and Honeydukes had every candy in the world. Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was a horrifying place, the most _horrifying_ place Bloom had ever entered. One step in and she, Ginny and Luna ran out. It looked like the color pink threw up all over the place, flowers and tea cup everywhere. If she ever went out with someone he better not bring her to that – that place! Over _his_ dead body!

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks." Ginny said. "It's getting colder."

In a few minutes were entering the tiny inn, it was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. "Bloom, Sirius and Remus are upstairs if you need them." Madam Rosmerta said.

"Thanks, Madam Rosmerta. Can we have three Butter-beers please?"

"Sure thing, Bloom. I'll take them to your table in a bit."

"Thanks Madam Rosmerta!"

Luna and Ginny saved a table while Bloom was talking with Madam Rosmerta. They seemed oddly quiet, Bloom was about to ask when she sat down when she heard it; "Do you think I should ask Redfern out?"

Bloom froze, she wanted to turn around and see who it was. But she was frozen in her seat. Why was this bugging her? Not that long ago, the thought of Abe being her friend bought chills down her spine but now, he was one of her closes friends. He was always there for her; didn't he protect her from Piers not long ago?

"I think you might have a shot? Just ask him, look there he is."

Bloom turned around to see Abe walking with Micky and Alex. They seemed to be laughing about something. There was a bit of snow on their heads and shoulders. It was noticeable on Micky and Alex for they had black hair but, with Abe it was barely noticeable. Abe must have sensed someone looking at him because he turned around and made eye contact with Bloom, his smile increased. He started to walk towards them. Bloom heard the girls behind her table squeal; "Look he's coming this way. How's my hair?"

But to their disappointment and Bloom's joy, he didn't seem to even notice them and walked to her table – with Micky and Alex following not far behind – and sat next to her.

"Hey Bloom, how long have you been here?"

"Not long, we just got here really."

"Have you guys been to Zonkos?" Micky asked. "It's awesome! I saw your brothers there, Ginny."

Alex nodded, "Yeah, I think they bought a long pole thing, I think it was called Poky Dok."

"What does that do?" Luna asked.

"Well it has a handle on one end and when you pull it, it explodes and whoever is at the other end get paint full blast on the face."

"Yup, that's something they would buy." Ginny laughed.

As Luna, Ginny and Alex and Micky talked about Zonkos', Abe and Bloom talked. "What have you been doing?" Abe asked as he drank his butter-beer.

"Not much, helping Harry, talking with Sirius and Remus. Oh and practicing the Patronus."

"Patronus? Really? I heard it was really hard. How is it going?" he asked.

"It's quite hard really. I thought it would get it by now… but no go… Remus said it was normal, but I'm getting mad that it's so hard, charms is a easy thing for me but I can't do this charm."

"Don't push yourself too hard, I know it's a hard charm. I know," he gave a grin. "I can give you some pointers."

Bloom rolled her eyes. "Sure thing."

* * *

"Bloom, wake up."

"No, thank you."

"Bloom, it's already eleven. Breakfast is already over, lunch is starting soon."

Bloom buried her face deeper into the pillow. It was Sunday morning and she did not want to leave her bed today. Last night she had been practicing the Patronus spell again and then Hestia had made her run around the Quidditch field twice. She wanted to sleep and not move but, she couldn't deny she was hungry. "Okay, okay. I'm up."

She walked slowly into the bathroom to take a shower, the warm water felt great on her sore muscles. She wanted to stay there just a bit longer, to let the water unknot her muscles. But her stomach was growling like Sirius's, now she knew she was starving. She casted a drying charm on her hair when she finished changing into something warm.

Ginny pulled her as they ran to lunch; they were twenty minutes late already. As soon as they sat down, they picked a plate and put as much food as they could. Bloom served herself anything warm looking, she cheered when her goblet was filled with hot chocolate. As they ate, Bloom noticed that Harry looked pained. "What's wrong Harry?"

Harry gave a weak whine. Ron smiled at Harry in understanding – which confused Bloom even more. Hermione was rolling her eyes. What was going on? Hermione – taking pity on Harry – answered, "Professor McGonagall just told us that they're making a Yule Ball in Christmas, Harry must attend and bring a date."

Bloom started to laugh.

"It's not funny Bloom!"

"I'm – I'm sorry, it's just – you? Dance?" Bloom laughed again.

Just then the owls arrived. Everyone looked up and saw Hedwig flying toward them. She landed between Bloom and Harry, she hooted at them making sure they knew she was there. Bloom smiled and gave her some bacon. Harry untied the letter and began to read it, "Sirius says that they're trying to figure out the egg."

"They have the egg?"

"Yeah… Though Remus did not like that sound at all"

"Well duh. He has sensitive hearing, you should have warned him."

"He was in the other room." Harry muttered. Before Bloom could say anything more owls appeared, this time – at least eleven owls landed in front of Bloom. All staring at her, waiting for her to get the letters, Bloom didn't know what to do; she looked up to see that Ginny had a handful of owls in front of her too. They looked at each other, silently asking what to do.

Before Bloom reached for an owl, there was a loud screech and flapping sound. Hedwig had flown to Bloom and landed on her shoulder, she glared at all the owls, as if saying that only she could deliver letters to Bloom. She flapped her wings open and screeched again. The school owls dropped the letters and flew away. Hedwig's eyes followed them, making sure they left.

"What the?"

Everyone grabbed a letter and opened it. Bloom's jaw dropped all the letters were asking her to going with them to the Yule Ball and from the looks of it – the same was with Ginny. Both of them blushed deep red. They looked up at their brothers and swallowed, they did not look pleased. In fact, they looked ready to start hexing whoever got to close. Hermione seemed to be trying to hold back laughter.

"Um… we should…" Ginny started but, it seemed she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Leave." Bloom finished. "We have to turn something in for – for potions."

"That's right!" Ginny said. "We'll see you later."

Both of them ran out as fast as they could before Harry and Ron could open their mouth.

Ginny ran to the Ravenclaw table and pulled Luna with her, Luna followed without a word. They ran outside, by the time they reached Hagrid's house. Bloom was trying to calm her beating heart. "What just happened?" Bloom asked.

Ginny shook her head. "I have no idea. I just wanted to get out of there; I thought they were going to kill someone."

"What was in the letters?" Luna asked.

"Well… um… Let's go to Hagrid, I haven't talked to him all weekend." Bloom said; it was a very poor attempt to change the subject. She didn't even want to think about it now. She heard a little jiggle; she turned to see Jiji playing in the pumpkin patch. "Jiji, so this is where you run off too?" Bloom shook her head. Why must he appear out of nowhere, when she's looking for him she can't find him, but when she isn't she does. Sometimes it felt like he was doing it on purpose.

Bloom and the girls knocked on Hagrid's door. "Hagrid, are you there?"

"In a minute."

Not a moment later the door was opened. "Hiya girls… come in, come in." Bloom, Ginny and Luna sat on their usually spots. Hagrid passed around three tea cups and got his cup. The tea kettle was placed in the middle of the table; Hagrid's rock cakes were neatly set next to it. Bloom and the girls avoided those at all cost.

And then Bloom noticed something, "Hagrid, did you brush your hair?"

His hair – that usually looked like wires – was less _wirely? _Not only that, he was wearing something really clean and… horribly looking. A dirty brown suit, a grass green tie and a lot of cologne, how did she not notice this till now? Maybe she should give him some advice, better yet, maybe she should Sirius to help him but, as soon as she thought of that she mentally shook her head. That won't be good; Sirius would probably get Hagrid slapped. Remus might give a lot better advice now that she thought about it.

Forget might, he probably would give you the best advice.

"Um… no, I just woke up like this." Hagrid said, though they could tell he was lying and blushing. Oh really?

"You know, Hagrid. If you need advice, we'll gladly help." Bloom said

"As soon as you ask." Ginny went on

"I wish to help too. Can we start now?"

Hagrid seemed to be thinking about it. Bloom saw his eyes wonder towards the window, Bloom smiled. She knew what he was looking for or better yet, who.

Hagrid bit his lip. "Oh, oh alright. But no funny business."

* * *

**Sorry it's so short and a bit late. I have 7 SEVEN! SEVEN! Exams! Not counting my lab reports and essays and presentation! Someone put me out of my misery! I should really launch myself off a cliff right now. I'm so tired and sore, my brain is so going to need a long vacation after this. Two more weeks to go… ahhhh!**

**Please thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	54. Permission

**April 27, 2012**

**Okay I'm going to try to write a bit before calling it a night. I have to study so sorry but, STUDYING COMES FIRST! You do well remember that! I'm kind of just writing right now, the words are coming and sometimes I see something interesting or your reviews say something that inspires me. God, it's only 8pm and I'm already passing out. *looking up to the heavens* did I do something to get you mad? Did I kick a puppy in my pass life or something?**

* * *

**Permission**

* * *

Bloom had gotten special permission from Professor Dumbledore to miss class that entire day, Ginny and Luna promised to write down the notes and give her the homework. Today was important, today was finally the day Hestia was going to teach her to control the fire and fight along with it, not just use it. But, to be with the fire, it sounded impossible. Professor Dumbledore led her to a special room, no one could find her there and more importantly, no one could get hurt.

They started with breathing exercises. Her mind's eye could see a small flame in the darkness, as her breathes got stronger and longer so did the flame. Her body felt like it was being washed with a smooth texture and yet it was warm and inviting. She never felt so much at – at rest until now. It was like nothing could hurt her, nothing could reach her.

Next was summoning a flame when she wasn't mad. It was much more difficult than she thought it would be. A small flame would appear but as soon as it appeared it was gone. For the next few hours she was trying to be able to summon and keep a hold on it. Soon she could do it with ease. It was hard but yet simply for her, she guessed it had to do something about Hestia.

"Hestia, where do you come from?"

Hestia gave a long sigh, "Far away, across the great ocean, through the forest and into the golden light. I was the leader of my people; we lived in prefect peace then. Muggles and Magical people living together and knowing each other, like a family." Her voice was weak when she said family; it was filled with pain. "But then, _they_ came… they acted as peace givers but, they wanted our scrolls, our secrets and… our lives. They took everything they could reach, they destroyed many temples, our village and many lives… and they took something precious from me as well." Bloom could feel Hestia's tears and sadness, it was none as she ever felt, the closes feeling was the feeling she would get when she thought of her parents.

"What did they take, Hestia?" Bloom asked kindly

"My… my daughter."

Bloom gasped. How could they have taken Hestia's daughter? Hestia was so kind and gentle. Why would anyone want to hurt her? "But, you found her didn't you?"

"After that night… I never saw my darling daughter… my darling Yaretzi again." **[Pronounced yah RET tzi, meaning 'You will always be loved']** silent tears ran down Bloom's face. She couldn't believe Hestia had gone through so much. "She was turning sixteen that day." Hestia whispered.

"But then, why did you come back, in me?"

"Before I died, I casted a spell that would lead me to Yaretzi. I would be reborn again and again until I find her. Each time, I could feel her but, I could never find her. But this time, I feel her much strong than before. I know that I will find her this time… I must find her."

"How did she look like? If you don't mind me asking?"

Hestia smiled. "She had waist long hair that curled with the wind, the biggest soft brown eyes but, whenever she got mad her eyes would turn green, like a cat's. Even though she was small, she was very feisty. She would give you such a tongue slashing; you wouldn't be able to face her for weeks… she was one of a kind."

"I'll help you with whatever I can to find her. I'll make sure you find Yaretzi, Hestia! I won't give up!"

She felt Hestia smile. "Thank you Bloom… now let's go back to your training."

By the end of the day Bloom could not only summon fire but, throw it at objects and form a shield on anything she wanted, it wasn't prefect but it was strong enough to protect her. She crawled into bed that night but not before taking a nice warm shower. She slept like a log that night… no worries but, dreaming of Yaretzi, maybe there was something she could do now to find her… she could almost see her now. She could see Yaretzi walking towards her, with her curly hair floating in mid–air. Her bangs were carefully and gently pushed back and pin to the side of her head side, because of her curls it looked like a crown on her head. She had strong features and yet they were gentle, she looked so familiar… especially the eyes… she reminded Bloom of someone, she knew that face but why couldn't she put a name to it. There were some slight changes but not really noticeable. Before she could follow her train of thought she fell asleep.

* * *

For the next few days, Ginny and Bloom had to dodge a handful of boys wanting to ask them out to the Yule Ball, sure they would love to go but, with someone they actually knew! Bloom wondered, why didn't they ask Luna? Luna's super pretty and loan of fun to be with, she got along with Neville really well too! And Neville was such a sweetheart! Those two deserve to go too… "Duck!" Ginny whispered to Bloom, they both threw themselves behind a giant Statue. "This is starting to really annoy me." Bloom whispered as two guys passed by. "We don't even know who are the guys that are looking for us."

"I know…" Ginny said. "Want to go to the library and see if Hermione and Luna are there?"

"Yea, better than staying here." Bloom said. "That's for sure."

Why hadn't she asked Harry for the Cloak? Oh yea, cause she thought she could handle it, pft! What a mistake that turned out to be. Barely a foot in the Great Hall and some guy from Ravenclaw asked both of them out. He was so lucky that the Professors were there; otherwise he would be in his deathbed. Not only did he ask them out right on the stop, but, as soon as Bloom said no, he asked Ginny. They both had turned red with anger and shouted at him.

Bloom and Ginny sneaked around the Library looking for Hermione and Luna. "Bloom, there." pointed Ginny. Bloom turned and saw Luna standing behind a shelf but, she was looking at something that wasn't a book. She was looking through the bookshelves at something. "Luna, what are you doing?" Ginny asked. Luna didn't even jump.

"Sh… look."

Bloom and Ginny turned what they saw made their mouth drop. It was Hermione with –Viktor Krum! They would have squealed but, they wanted to see what was happening.

Krum seemed to be blushing making Bloom smile. "I was wondering if… **[I don't know how to do accents, forgive me.] **If you would… if you would go to the Yule Ball… with me."

Bloom saw Hermione's jaw fall, she didn't blame her. Viktor Krum had just asked her out, Bloom knew that he liked her but, this was just too cute! She had to squeal at it soon, at least an Aww. But, she bit down on her lips. She could see Luna and Ginny doing the same. She could tell that they were all chanting, "Say yes Hermione!" over and over again in their heads. Oh god, why didn't she know the silence spells? Hermione blushed red – like Weasley red – and finally opened her mouth. "I – I – I…" _Hermione! Say something other than I!_ Bloom shouted in her head. Hermione had accidently made eye contact with Bloom, if she was shocked, Bloom couldn't tell. She gave Hermione a smile and a nod, her face clearly saying "Go on!" Hermione then turned to a very nervous looking Krum. "I would love too." Krum and the girls all exhaled, _Finally!_

"Come on," Luna started. "Let's let them talk…"

Ginny and Bloom pouted at her. But, they still listened to Luna. They tied toed out of the library, as soon as they were a hallway away they started to squeal. "Can you believe it? He just asked her!"

"It was so cute!"

"I've been holding this for a while now so… _Aw_!" The three of them started to giggle. "That was so adorable! I know, let's go to our dorm. We'll wait for Hermione there!"

"But I'm not allowed there Bloom."

"So? We'll hide you… I'll go up first and I'll grab the cloak from Harry. You can use it for this! It's super important after all."

They waited for Hermione for about two hours. It was a reasonable time but it was so nerve breaking, Bloom couldn't wait to know what happened, she was so happy for Hermione! She couldn't stop smiling for a long time. They played card games as they waited, Bloom tried to teach Luna and Ginny Gold Fish but, they couldn't understand why the game was called Gold Fish if there wasn't a Golden Fish involved. By the end of it, Bloom had given up. And then – Hermione came through the door. They didn't want to make it that they really wanted to know, so they pretended to act innocently.

Hermione sighed. "What do you want to know?" she said with a smile on her face.

* * *

Aberam Redfern was frustrated at the moment, he had just found out about the rule for the Yule Ball; only four years – thanks to Harry – and up could go. The day it was announced was weird, for the first time he noticed how many girls Hogwarts really had. And then he saw something that made his insides boil, Bloom had relieved at least six owls asking her to the Ball that very after noon. He didn't quite understand why he was so angry. Just the thought of Bloom with some else – some else that wasn't him, made his stomach die. He buried his face deeper into the pillow to let out a moan. Sure, he had like girls before but, they were all older than him. He had been an early bloomer – bloom – Bloom – Bloom Potter. Was everything in his life about Bloom? At first it angered him to no end, of all girls why Bloom?

_I'll tell you why, _said a voice in the back of his head._ Because she was never afraid to talk back to you, she knocked you off your high horse back in Muggle School. She would give you such a tongue slashing, you couldn't look her in the eye for days and then you'll mess up again. She brought out the better of you without trying. _

What do I do about it now?

_Easy, go up to her and tell her you like her and then – snog her!_

I'm thirteen! I can't do that!

_You and I know very well that you're an early – bloomer, beside… what do you have to lose?_

Oh I don't know… how about our FRIENDSHIP! THE FRIENDSHIP I WORKED SO HARD TO HAVE!

_Okay, okay. Keep your pants on. _

Great, now I'm yelling at myself. What am I going to do? Well it's not like I _can_ go but… Abe thought. But, I _want_ to take her. Why is this so messed up? And why are guys noticing her now? She just Bloom for crying out loud!

"Abe… Abe… Aberam Redfern!" still Abe didn't answer simply because he wasn't really paying attention. So Alex had to go to drastic measures, "Abe! Mate! _Bloom is kissing Fred Weasley!_"

Abe's head snapped up so fast there was a loud pop sound. "What? You're lying!" even so, Abe got off his bed and looked really to run out of the room. "She wouldn't kiss him, there's no way!" Alex put a locking spell on the door, Abe; who was currently panicking and not thinking straight was fight with the door while Alex and Micky tried not to laugh. "Why won't this open? She couldn't be kissing him; he's way too old for her!"

"Mate, he's only three years older than her. She's a third year and he's a sixth year… there is a chance that they will –" Micky said before being interrupted.

"Fred sees her as a sister, now why won't this door open?"

Micky and Alex rolled their eyes, their friend was so sad sometimes. They were teasing him about Bloom and Fred but, he seemed to be too fired up to calm down. "Can I stun him?" Alex whispered.

Micky gave him a small glare and then turned to Abe, "Abe mate, relax. We were joking."

Abe turned to glare at them. "That wasn't funny!"

"It kind of was."

Abe pouted and then walked back to his bed, he let himself fall on it without another word. Alex and Micky rolled their eyes again at him. Their friend was truly sad sometimes. "We know how to get you and Bloom into the ball together."

That seemed to get Abe's undivided attention. "How?" he asked, they could see a hint of hope in his eyes. "Wait, how do you even know I want to take Bloom to the ball?"

Alex and Micky gave him a "You're serious" look before shaking their heads at him. "Mate, it's so – Arg! You can be so dumb sometimes. Mate, we _are_ there with you when you talk to her. You ignore all the other girls, you only have eyes on her whenever she's within a yard of you. It's almost sad."

Abe blushed. "Am I really that bad?"

"Yes." They answered instantly and in sync.

Abe blushed even more, "So," he coughed. "What's your plan?"

Micky smiled. "Well, you two aren't fourth years, so they only way you can go is if a upperclassmen ask you – "

"How does that help me?"

"If you will shut up you'll know."

"Sorry."

"Like I was saying, Alex already got that covered. Sarah what – is – her – name asked him out already. So I have a date too. ("Rub it in, why don't you." Abe muttered.) I asked her for a favor though. I asked her to ask you."

Abe's jaw fell, "What?"

"Hear me out, she'll take you and I'll take Bloom."

"HOW DOES THAT HELP ME?"

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME YOU PRAT!"

"YOU JUST SAID YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE BLOOM, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN?"

"I'LL BE TAKING HER BUT YOU'LL BE HER DATE!"

Abe stopped. "Huh?"

Micky sighed and turned to Alex, "Was he always an idiot."

"Yes."

* * *

"Hey Bloom, can I talk to you?" asked Micky the next day. Well more like the next morning.

Bloom looked confused but still went up to him. "What's up?"

"Do you want to go to the ball?"

She looked taken back, like really taken back. She literally jumped back a step, she looked confused and probably thought she was hearing things. "Uh, what did you say? I think I misheard you."

Micky rolled his eyes. "I asked if you wanted to go to the ball, if so. I'll gladly take you but, as friends. Nothing more nothing less."

"Oh…" he could see her relax. "Sure. I'll love to go with you. Thanks for asking me."

"No problem, I'll see you later alright."

"Oh um yeah. Bye."

Bloom stood there for a bit before going back to her table where Luna was waiting for her. "What did Micky want?" she asked.

"He just asked me to the ball."

"Really? What did you say?"

"I said yes because he said only as friends." Bloom answered, she really wanted to go to the ball but she was a bit disappointed that she was going with Micky but it was good that she was going with a friend.

"That's good now I don't feel bad."

"What?"

"Neville asked me to the Ball yesterday, as friends."

Bloom gaped. She was sure she looked like a fish at that moment. Neville and Luna, wow. That really great, in fact, it's downright cute! "Oh Luna, I'm so happy for you! Neville is such a sweetie; I know he'll be the prefect gentlemen! I'm jealous." She really was. Neville was a real sweetheart. Bloom was shocked that more girls didn't like him.

"Now we only need Ginny."

"No you don't." Ginny jumped behind them with a smile on her face. "Michael Corner just asked me and I said yes. He's a friend and well he's cute. Oh Bloom, I heard the Terry Boot is going with Susan Bones. Are you okay with that?"

Bloom blinked; sure she had a tiny crush on Terry. He was the first boy to look at her like a person, even when she was a complete stranger to him. When they were at the Quidditch Cup and they had touched, she felt a spark but… she knew that he only blushed because he was embarrassed. It was nice small crush but she knew he didn't like her that way, maybe as a sister or a friend but not as a… not as a girl, even if a part of her had hoped for it. "Yea, of course I am. Now do you girls realize that we – including Hermione – have to go shopping?"

All three of them groan.

* * *

"I give up." Bloom stated. They have been shopping for hours, it was already passed noon and she still couldn't find a dress for the Yule Ball. Hermione was debating on what color would look best on Bloom, while Ginny and Luna smiled at Bloom's misery. They had already picked out their dresses. Luna bought a simple pale yellow dress with tiny diamonds covering her skirt, Luna had wanted a bright yellow but the color had gotten Bloom very dizzy. Luna also bought white flats since they were all too young to wear heels, personally Bloom thought that was a very good thing. Ginny had gotten a nice sky blue dress, it was a bit loose but Hermione could quickly fix that with a quick wave of her wave. She also got silver flats they weren't bright silver but nice calming silver.

Hermione's dress reminded Bloom of a flower, little red petals like layers dripping towards the ground. Hermione also bought things to add to her hair; something she made sure they all knew that it was going in their hair too. Hermione was the only one that bought pink high heels; Bloom wished her luck in not breaking her neck with those shoes.

But Bloom was the hardest to shop for, her dark red hair – dark than Weasley hair – had made her day impossible. If she wore green she would look like a Christmas tree, brown was out of the picture, black was not a color for a White Christmas Ball.

While the girls were looking for a dress for her, Bloom began to look around the store. There just had to be a dress here for her and then she saw something. It was a white dress, simple but with a bit of volume on the skirt. It had a small designs of red flowers spread all over the right in a triangle form, even on her torso but it wasn't spread around lie on the skirt, it was from the bottom right corner to her left shoulder. The strap was thin, almost invisible. She got it from the hanger and went to try it on.

It was a perfect fit, you know when they say you'll find your perfect dress once and Bloom had just did that. It was perfect in every way and it matched extremely well with her hair. The red of the flowers was the same color as her hair. "Girls, Come here."

"What is it Bloom?" she heard Ginny ask.

"I found the perfect dress for me." With that said she walked out of the changing room. She smiled when they gasped. "It isn't great! What do you think?"

"It's great!"

"Where did you find it?"

"You look like a princess, Bloom."

Bloom giggled. "Thank you Luna. I do feel like a princess… I love this dress. I have to buy it."

"You better Bloom." Ginny said. "Or else I'll hex you myself."

"Now all we need are your shoes." Hermione clapped her hands once.

Bloom groaned; she forgot about needing to get shoes. Why was shopping so much work? She rather go shopping for books than clothes, this Ball was more trouble than it was worth. It turned out that Hermione was girlier than she thought. Ginny and Luna were falling asleep on each other where they sat while Hermione made Bloom try on every shoe in the store. At the end, Bloom – by force – bought small wedges; they had red ribbons that tied up her leg. Hermione stated that those were the prefect shoes for the dress.

"Can we please go back now?" Ginny asked.

Hermione was now looking at the make – up section, Hermione wanted to match the correct shade for all their dresses. Even Luna looked like she was annoyed; she kept looking around, like she was trying to find a way out. Ginny looked ready to run out then and there. The three of them sat together on a single bench, their bags around them as they watched Hermione looking through types of hairstyles.

"I say we stun her and drag her back to the castle." Bloom whispered.

"I like that plan." Luna said. You knew it was bad when Luna agreed to stun people. Bloom was beginning to fall asleep on her seat after ten minutes. "Want to get some chocolate?"

"Let's go." Ginny said.

"I'll grab Hermione." It took some time but, finally! They were able to pull Hermione out of the store and into the chocolate store. The Ball was tomorrow, Sirius and Remus had said that they were going to be at the Ball, to make sure no one attacked Harry. Though, it didn't seem like that was their only reason. Ever since Bloom told them that Micky asked her to the Ball – as friends – they blew their top, stating that she was too young to date.

"_What?"_

"_I was asked to the Ball by my friend. Just thought to let you now that Harry isn't the only one having some fun and I need money for my dress."_

"_Who is taking you?" Sirius asked handing Bloom some gallons, knowing she wouldn't answer unless they gave her what she wanted first._

"_My friend, Micky. Why?" _

"_I don't like him."_

_Bloom rolled her eyes; "Sirius you don't even know him."_

_Sirius quickly turned to Remus, "Remus, you taught the punk – I mean kid – what type of person is he?_

_Remus looked pained, "He's… he's a good kid, really smart and a sense of humor… though I don't trust him with Bloom, even if he is a good kid."_

_Bloom rolled her eyes, those two would always treat her like a little girl. She would gladly put her foot down but she held her tongue. Arguing with them would only make things worse for her. So she let them rant for a while. But, to add some fun for her – she told them something before she walked out the door. "You know, I might get my first kiss this time… I better buy some lipstick that doesn't fall of so fast. I'll see you later."_

_A total of ten seconds later she heard them shout her name._

* * *

**Sorry it's so short, but like I have been saying – FINALS ARE HERE AND I WANT TO CRY MY EYES OUT! Sniff professors are evil! Pure evil!**

**Please thank my beta Mira SSSB**


	55. Yule Ball

**May 6, 2012**

**Four more days, four more days… I can do this… I'm not in the best of moods right now. I'm panicking like crazy and at the point of tears. My mom ordered me to take a break from studying cause I was going crazy, she let me go watch the Avengers, which by the way, was filled with a bunch of *ahem* nerds and geeks, I mean it in a good way! It was a bit weird whenever they saw that a girl was waiting in line for the film, but it was funny. It was a good movie; I suggest you see it… I like Thor. He makes me giggle like a little girl. It was a great action and comedy film, I laughed a lot!**

**I think this chapter might be longer than others, I don't know yet… I'm writing a bit every chance I get. By the time I put this chapter up; I will be done with my finals! Thank the Lord! I will party! I will drink! Well not alcohol drinks but you know – a strong drink. I'll sleep in! I do like sleeping! **

**Oh crap, I forgot. I have to paint my room… mmm… I don't want too. I'm tired… **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**Listening to TVXQ Darkness Eyes (listen to it! It's awesome! Especially the concert video)**

* * *

**Yule Ball**

* * *

Christmas was here and that meant that the ball was here too. Bloom woke up before anyone – first time for everything – she tied toed out of bed and exited the room. She headed to Harry's dorm, just when she turned on the stairs she saw Dobby. "Hello Dobby. Here to see Harry?"

"Oh Bloom Potter, you is here!" Dobby cheered. "Dobby came to give Harry and Bloom Potter presents." He handed Bloom a brown wrapped object, by the size of it, it looked like a book. Bloom kneed to his level and unwrapped her gift. She was wrong, it wasn't a book though, it was a picture frame of her, Harry and Dobby. It was really adorable.

"Oh thank you Dobby." She hugged him, "It's beautiful. I got you something too; it's in my trunk though. I'll take it to the kitchen later on, is that okay?"

Dobby gasped. "Oh Bloom Potter truly is kind and great." He burst into tears.

Bloom smiled, "Let's go wake up Harry."

* * *

Bloom smile when Dobby careful jumped on Harry's bed and placed himself on Harry, staring intensely at his face. Harry groaned and opened his eyes. "Dobby!" Harry yelled; scrambling away from the elf so fast he almost fell out of bed. "Don't do that!"

Bloom laughed.

"Dobby is sorry, sir!" squeaked Dobby anxiously, jumping backward with his long fingers over his mouth. "Dobby is only wanting to wish Harry Potter 'Merry Christmas' and bring him a present, Sir! Harry Potter did say Dobby could come and see him sometimes, sir!"

"It's okay," said Harry, still breathing rather faster than usual. "Just - just prod me or something in future, all right, don't bend over me like that… stop laughing Bloom."

His yell had awoken Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. All of them were peering through the gaps in their own hangings, heavy-eyed and tousle-haired. Bloom thought they looked adorable.

"Someone attacking you, Harry?" Seamus asked sleepily.

"No, it's just Dobby," Harry muttered. "Go back to sleep."

"Nah… presents!" said Seamus, spotting the large pile at the foot of his bed. Ron, Dean, and Neville decided that now they were awake they might as well get down to some present-opening too.

"I just love how you say that so causally." Bloom stated.

"Ah!" the boys minus Harry shouted, covering themselves with whatever they could find. "Bloom, you're not allowed here!"

* * *

The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. When the decorations went up. Bloom noticed that they were the most stunning she had yet seen inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armour had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them. It was quite something to hear "O Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words.

Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the armour, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.

Bloom, Ginny and Luna were having a snow fight with their friends and family. Just when Bloom and Ginny had gotten both George and Fred in the face, Hermione had called them out. Stating it was time for them to get ready. Sighing, all three of them began to follow her, Bloom wanted to stay just a bit longer, she was having so much fun beating the twins. Well, at least they can't get her back… for now.

Fred and George had had a great success with their Canary Creams, and for the first couple of days of the holidays, people kept bursting into feathers all over the place. Before long, however, all the Gryffindors had learned to treat food anybody else offered them with extreme caution, in case it had a Canary Cream concealed in the center, and George confided to Bloom that he and Fred were now working on developing something else. Bloom swore to herself not to accept anything from them.

"We tried to get Snape." Fred told her a few days ago.

"But we couldn't get close." George sighed.

"Greasy bat wouldn't take us out of his sight." Lee added with a pout.

After taking a shower, just took a while since all the girls were taking turns showering. She started with her hair, she put hair oil – something Hermione bought to keep her hair shiny, smooth and in place. She didn't do much with her hair, she just casted a spell – a spell she learned from a magazine – to make her hair look like beach waves. She had Ginny give her a small trim. Hermione – who had finished already – was putting make up on the girls. Hermione looked so pretty.

"Hermione did you put a spell on your teeth?" Bloom asked. She saw Hermione blush.

"No, I didn't… but you see, Malfoy tried to curse Harry and missed. He got me instead."

"What?" Ginny, Luna and Bloom shouted.

"When did this happen?" Bloom asked. She was so mad; she wanted to hunt him down. No one and she meant no one messed with her friends and got away from it. Worse of all… why didn't she know about this?

"Harry and Ron cursed back. And then Professor Snape came… they tried to explain but, he wouldn't listen… Ron told him that Malfoy cursed me; my teeth were so big because of the spell. And…." Hermione sniffed, Bloom saw her eyes water a bit. "He said he didn't see any difference."

As Luna and Ginny patted her and comforted her; Bloom was ready to hunt down Malfoy and Professor Snape… both of them were in for it now. "I'm going to yell at him…" Bloom said quietly, they all turned to look at her. "I will yell at him in public, I don't care if he is a professor… no one – and I mean no one – hurts my friends… oh he's in for it now!"

But Hermione had made her promise she wouldn't do anything. If anything, it would make Professor Snape crueler towards her… Bloom bit her tongue but agreed. She let Hermione start her make up… it calmed Hermione. Many people didn't know this but, Hermione did like make up but, not much. She liked to put it on her friends; it made her feel important and loved. Since both Ginny and Bloom had dark shades of red hair, Hermione applied different shades of pink to their faces. Ginny's pink was a shade or two darker than Bloom's. Hermione applied light silver on Luna; it made her eyes look a bit smaller.

"All done!" announced Hermione, she looked at her work and looked pleased. "Oh you girls look like glass dolls."

Ginny and Luna looked confused, while Bloom pouted. "Hermione, those things are creepy looking."

Hermione laughed. "Okay, how about… you look like cute glass dolls?" Bloom rolled her eyes but smiled. "So, does Harry know you're going to the ball with Micky?"

Bloom's lip twitched. "Oh he knows that I'm going…" she laughed.

_Ron was sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner._

_Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice. Bloom was patting Ron's back, trying to hold back laughter. She knew her face was pink._

_"What's up, Ron?" said Harry, joining them._

_Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face._

_"Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!"_

_Bloom looked around trying to hold the laughter in… she knew it would be rude to laugh at him but the situation was so funny._

_"What?" said Harry._

_"He - er - just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically._

_"You what?' said Harry._

_"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people - all around - I've gone mad - everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall - she was standing there talking to Diggory - and it sort of came over me - and I asked her!"_

_Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable._

_"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then - I dunno - I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."_

_"She's part veela," said Harry. "You were right - her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it – but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang." Harry said._

_Ron looked up._

_"I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully, "and she told me."_

_Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling. Bloom gave her a sad and understanding smile, even if Ginny was trying to get over Harry, it would still take time. Bloom only hoped it won't cause Ginny too much pain. Was it bad that she wanted Harry to end up with Ginny?_

_"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone - well, except Neville. Hey - guess who he asked? Hermione!"_

_"What?" said Harry looking completely distracted by this startling news._

_"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the colour coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff - but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville… I mean, who would?"_

"_Hey!" both Ginny and Bloom shouted at him. "I'll have you know Ronald that Neville is the sweetest guy in this whole school!" Bloom said._

"_And he's actually really popular with girls. He's so sweet and shy; girls just want to hug him." Ginny added. "Maybe you two should take a lesson or two from him." She glared at both of them, daring them to say something._

"_Besides, he only asked Hermione as friends… plus he's going with Luna, so she can be with us. At least he has a date, not like you two." Bloom finished with a glare filled with fire._

_That shut Harry and Ron up but then it looked like they were going to start to laugh when Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole._

_"Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, coming over to join them._

_"Because - oh shut up laughing, you two - because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny._

_That officially shut Harry and Ron up _

_"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sourly._

_"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."_

_But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light._

_"Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl…"_

_Ginny and Bloom stared at him, not believing he had just said that._

_"Oh, well spotted," she said acidly._

"_Well - you can come with one of us!"_

_"No, I can't," snapped Hermione. So Hermione hadn't told the boys who she was going with? A smile came across Bloom's face._

_"Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has…"_

_"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."_

_"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!" Bloom and Ginny glared at him. Harry wisely stayed quiet._

_"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"_

_Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again._

_"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?"_

_"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!"_

_And she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again._

_"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go._

_"She's not," said Ginny glaring at her brother, Bloom saw her hand twitch towards her wand._

_"Who is it then?" said Ron sharply._

_"I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny._

_"Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll go with Bloom -"_

"_We can't." Ginny said blushing. "We already have dates."_

_Bloom watched as Harry and Ron stared at them, first there was shock and then they were gaping like goldfish. Bloom smirked, The Harry Potter hadn't gotten a simple date but his baby sister did, without even trying. She sat down in front of Harry, just waiting for him to explode. _

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE A DATE?" both Ron and Harry shouted. "WHO'S TAKING YOU?"_

_Ginny opened her mouth but Bloom beat her to it. "Now listen here you gits." She started as she stood up. "You two cannot tell us what to do or who to go out with. Ginny and I have dates because guys actually like us. So what? Just because you two can't get dates doesn't mean we can't. Face it; we're better looking than you two and kinder. If you two had taken some lessons from Neville, you probably would have dates by now. We've had them for weeks and so has Neville. Now if you don't mind. We're going to bed. Goodnight."_

"You really said that to them?" Hermione asked.

"Of course."

Luna and Hermione laughed.

* * *

Aurora was getting ready for the Ball. She didn't really have a date for it but, she would hang out with Severus. Since he was the only person – that was her age – she knew that was attending. Being back in England was a big step for her, she was excited but nervous. She was not good at English customs; the ones she did know were all forgotten now. She knew there was going to be a Ball ahead of time so she packed one of her dresses. Her best friend back home always said that a Lady must have at least one little black dress in her closet. But since this was a Christmas ball, Aurora packed a white dress.

It was a Fantastic A-Line/Princess Sweetheart Sweep Train Chiffon Charmeuse Evening Dresses With Ruffle Beading. It was one of a kind; her mother had got it for her on her last birthday. Usually her mother would get her an Aztec style dress but not last year… lately her mother had changed a lot. She was kinder and gave her back her freedom… but why? Aurora wasn't sure.

Her hair was down and she straighten it with her wand; though not all the way, the tips were curls slightly to give it a curly wavy look. She got two locks of hair from each side of her head and gently tied to the back of her head with a brown clip, making it look like a soft crown. The pony tail was curled as well, giving it a more bouncy look to it. She place one small white lily on the top of her ear. She wore her necklace, which had a single pearl and a simply bracelet.

She looked at her reflection one last time before grabbing her light brown cloak and headed to the Great Hall.

* * *

Abe was standing next to Micky, waiting for Bloom, Alex had already left with his date. Abe was nervous, how was the plan going to work out? Bloom didn't even know about the plan, he could only hope she won't be too angry. Waiting was the hard part so far; he just wanted this to be over with. He leaned on the wall and crossed his arms; he didn't even notice the girls that were eyeing him. He was staring at the ground with a frown on his face. What could be taking her so long?

"Ready? Bloom" Micky said suddenly.

"Yes, thank you for asking me to the ball Micky." Bloom answered as she climbed down the steps. Abe's mouth dropped. She truly looked beautiful, her red hair stood out more than normal and her white dress looked stunning on her. He noticed that she had a thin layer of make up on, pink on her eyelids, blush on her cheeks and her normally pink lips looked shiny. Her eyelashes looked thicker than how she usually had them. She looked taller too, maybe she was wearing heels but, that didn't seem like something Bloom would do.

"You look beautiful, Bloom." Micky said.

Bloom smiled, "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself." Micky laughed. "Abe, are you coming with us too? Who's your date?"

Abe; who was currently speechless was saved by Micky, "A friend of mine asked him but only as friends… it's a small favor."

"Oh." Bloom smiled, "That's nice."

The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people. Once the Champions entered, everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

Bloom, Luna, and Ginny sat together with their dates; Abe and Alex were also there with his date.

"Hermione's date is Krum?"

Bloom, Ginny and Luna giggled. "Yes, we were there when he asked her. It was so cute!" Bloom squealed. "We promised Hermione not to tell anyone." They turned to watch the Champions.

Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, but Karkaroff wore an expression remarkably like Ron's as he watched Krum and Hermione draw nearer. That won't end well.

Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely. But Mr. Crouch, Bloom suddenly realized, was not there. The fifth seat at the table was occupied by Percy Weasley.

When the champions and their partners reached the table, Percy drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Harry. Harry must have taken the hint and sat down next to Percy, who was wearing brand-new, navy-blue dress robes and an expression of such smugness that Bloom thought it ought to be fined. Bloom wanted – so badly – to ask Percy if Mr. Crouch stopped calling him Weatherby but, knew that would end badly.

There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Harry picked his up uncertainly and looked around - there were no waiters.

"How does this work?" Bloom asked eyeing the menu.

"You look at the plate and say clearly what you want." Luna answered.

"Oh."

Hagrid was sitting up with the teachers; he was wearing a black cloak Bloom had picked for him. His hair wasn't too noticeable tangled now and there were no ugly colors anywhere near him. Luna carefully had placed a purple flower on the pocket of his shirt and Ginny tied back his Hagrid – it sort of looked like Bill's hair style now.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn.

Bloom laughed when she saw Harry tripped over his dress robes as he stood up. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune; Harry walked onto the brightly lit dance floor, carefully avoiding catching anyone's eye; namely Bloom's.

"Oh I feel sorry for Harry." Abe said. "You're never going to let him forget this are you?"

Bloom shook her head and said "Never."

Very soon many of them too had come onto the dance floor, so that the champions were no longer the center of attention.

Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime. He was so dwarfed by her that the top of his pointed hat barely tickled her chin; however, she moved very gracefully for a woman so large. Mad-Eye Moody was doing an extremely ungainly two-step with Professor Sinistra, who was nervously avoiding his wooden leg. Aurora seemed to be trying to get Professor Snape out of his chair but, was failing to do so.

Fred and Angelina, who were dancing so exuberantly that people around them were backing away in fear of injury. Though Bloom knew that Fred wasn't really _Fred_, it was George. Bloom had accidently overheard George and Fred talking, George seemed too nervous to ask her so Fred asked her and George would pretend to be Fred. Who knew Fred could be so sweet.

Micky turned to whisper at Bloom. "Don't get mad but… I asked you so you could come to the ball and I asked my friend to ask Abe so he could come, so both of you could dance together… I'll see you soon." He jumped out of his seat, grabbed Abe's date or false date and went to the dance floor.

Bloom blinked so many times, she wasn't sure what had just happened. "Huh?"

Abe swallowed and stood up; he walked towards her and reached his hand out to her. "Want to dance?"

She stared at him and then at his hand repeatedly and then finally, she smiled. "I'll love too." She said softly.

She saw him smile as she followed him to the dance floor.

* * *

Sirius Black was nervous… though he would not admit it to anyone, not even to Moony. He checked his reflection for the tenth time that hour, he wanted to look good. This was it; he was going to talk to Aurora in human form. He had done it many times before but, this time it was nerve wrecking. He bought a black cloak with grey lining. Moony had gone to the Ball ahead of him, since he might have taken longer than normal in the shower.

Okay, I'm ready.

He walked toward the Great Hall, the Ball had already started. That's what he wanted, that way Aurora wouldn't see him and give him a chance to surprise her. He gave a little smile remembering the last surprise he had given her, it ended with him in the hospital. Maybe surprising her in her room wasn't the best idea. He looked around and laughed when he saw Harry trip on his cloak. James had done the same thing when he danced with Lily.

He looked around once more and saw Bloom dancing with some boy, Sirius glared at the sight. But he didn't do anything; Bloom had her mother's temper and lungs. He did not want to be at the end of that… again.

And then he saw her.

She was dancing with Moony at the moment. If it had been anyone other than Moony, he would have marched over there but since it _was _Moony, he stood by and smiled at the sight. When Aurora figured out that Moony was a werewolf, she confronted him and hugged him, blowing his mind to the next life.

Not wanting to wait any longer but didn't want to confront her, he transformed into Padfoot and walked over there. He nudged her leg.

Aurora and Moony looked down, he heard Moony say "Cowardly mutt" which he growled at.

"What is it boy?" Aurora asked.

Sirius saw Remus give a sly smile. That smile meant pain for him, "How do you know it's a boy Aurora?"

Sirius gave a cross between a gasp and whine.

"I don't." she said. "Do you think I should check?"

Sirius glared at Remus; whose lip was twitching. Remus was having a blast with this; this was some sort of pay back. "I think you should…" Sirius growled at him again.

"I know, I should take him outside… the noise is probably hurting him… I'm surprised you're not in any pain." Aurora said.

"No, it's a bit loud but I can handle it. Besides, I don't want to leave Bloom unsupervised." Sirius gave a nod and pushed Aurora gently with his head.

"I think he wants you to follow him." Remus smiled.

"Okay?" Aurora said. "I'll see you later. You and Dumbledore are the only ones willing enough to dance with me, since Severus won't even step into the dance floor."

Aurora followed Sirius out, she didn't say much and Sirius was grateful for it. Soon, so soon she would know it was him. Soon they would _actually_ talk. They hadn't talked in over a decade. He wasn't sure what to say, he didn't know what to say. Winging it sounded as much as a plan as any. He didn't even notice when they were out of the castle, he stopped and turned around to look at her. She looked beyond confused, her head tilted slight to the right as if trying to figure out what was going on.

Now was better than never.

He transform back into his human form.

He heard her gasp.

He looked up and made eye contact with her. For the first time in a long time, they stared at each other. Sirius stared at her more calmly than he felt but, Aurora looked like she was trying _not_ to pass out. He saw tears form in her eyes, she seemed to be trying to say something but nothing would come out. He gave her a weak grin and said. "Hello Aurora. It's been a long time."

Tears slowly fell down her face, she blink rapidly as if trying to wake up from some dream – or night mare. "Si – Sirius?"

Sirius smiled sadly at her. "Yeah it's me… I know I look a bit different but I blame Azk – Woah!"

Aurora had ran up to him and launched herself at him, giving him a bone crushing hug. Her arms were around his neck as his arms automatically went to her waist. He could hear her sobs. "I thought – I thought –"

Sirius sighed and held her tightly. "I know, Remus told me…" they let go of each other, both looking embarrassed. And then, Sirius held his hand out to her. "Care to take a walk and talk?"

Aurora stared at him for a bit before smiling and taking his hand. "I'll like that." She said sofly.

His hold on her hand tighten, as he smiled and lead her to the lake.

* * *

**Okay, I think that's enough for now… I'll let your imagination go off there… I just took one test; Education. Three more to go… **

**What should Bloom's patronus be?**

Phoniex

Cat

Type of Deer

Dog

Dragon

**Please thank my Beta Mira SSSB**


	56. Remeberance

**It's over! Yes! No more school or homework for a month! Party! Party! As you can see, I'm really happy at the moment! I've been playing with my Sirius Black wand and annoying the heck out of my dad. Wanna know a secret? While my dad was sleeping, I put make-up on him. And he didn't even notice… Lol! **

**I know you guys must have heard the song "International Love" by Chris Brown and Pitbull… well I like the song but it's giving a headache. Since I'm not really from this State (the place I'm currently living in, which by the way sucks… I'm a Cali girl all the way… Los Angeles! Whoo! Best place ever!) so, some guys really liked the song and some guy found out that I'm from Los Angeles and that I'm Mexican, so after hearing the song he came up to me and said: "Hey, you're from LA right?" after saying yes, he smiled and asked. "Does the mean you are **_**wild**_**, maybe we can hook up after school." I rewarded him with a knee to his "family jewels" and a good slap since he tried to touch me somewhere very private. **

**I hope none of you girls would ever like a male treat you like that. And guys, don't you dare even think about it. I know there are good guys out there; I hope you are one of them.**

**On with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Listening to: Remember the Time by Michael Jackson (Rest in Peace)**

* * *

_**Remembrance**_

* * *

Bloom laid in her bed, still in her dress. Her face was still pink, even after two hours after the ball. Her heart was beating fast and her breathing was uneven. A smile was on her smile, not a big smile but not a small one either. She just couldn't believe it, she wanted the feeling in her stomach to go away but at the same time, she wanted the feeling to stay. She didn't know what to do, she usually would go to Hermione for advice but she wanted to figure it out on her own. She had never felt anything like it before, just a few hours she was perfectly normal and now… she couldn't tell left from right. Her eyes wouldn't close and her heart wouldn't slow down… why did she even agree to it? This was some sort of dream and a nightmare. So why did half of her enjoy the weird feeling? Her face became redder as she thought back to the Yule Ball events.

_Bloom followed Abe to the dance floor, thinking that it was sweet that he wanted to take her even though he couldn't and found a way to get her to the Ball so he could dance with her. She didn't know why but, the thought alone made her smile. He held her gently; they started slow and then moved with the music. She started to laugh when he started to jump up and down with the loud music. She had never seen him so… happy. She looked around and saw the Remus was dancing with Aurora, she must have said something fun since Remus laughed. She saw Luna and Neville dancing, Luna was… ummm… well that least Bloom thought she was dancing, and Neville looked like he wanted to laugh but still joined her. Ginny and Michael were dancing and fooling around near Luna and Neville. _

_She saw Terry and Susan Bones dancing really close to each other, Bloom looked away. She knew she didn't like Terry anymore but, it still hurt a bit to see another girl with him. She blocked it all out and smiled at Abe, he looked so pleased with himself it was hard not to laugh with him. She was actually having a good time, being with Abe. It wasn't surprising; he knew her likes and dislikes. And then she heard one of the Weird Sisters say something. "How are you feeling out there?" she shouted, "We have a surprise guest for you all, a good friend of ours and… I've known the kid since he was in –" a loud cough was heard. "Ah… I mean, please give a warm welcome to Matthew Greyback!"_

_Bloom stopped dancing, what did she say?_

_Matthew came out with a black suit so dark it looked blue. The girls went crazy, the all ran up to get closer to the stage nearly pushing Bloom to the ground, and they would have tramped all over her if Abe hadn't caught her. The volume in the Great hall was so high it hurt to wince. Some girls were jumping up and down, screaming on the top of their voice. She felt bad for Remus, he must have escaped or he would have been on the floor by now._

"_Hello everyone!" Matthew shouted, "I'm happy to be here! I will sing one song for you, I know I know. Just one song? Sorry, but I'm babysitting my brother and he sort of feel asleep a while ago." He smiled at the crowd. "I can't leave him alone. Sorry guys." He coughed once, "The Weird Sisters came up with an interesting turn of events. They will pick one girl or boy to sing with me." The crowd - well girls went crazy again. _

_The Weird Sister formed a circle and took out there wands, a beam of white light flashed around the crowd, it moved around, landing on a person for just a moment before moving on, sometimes it landed on someone for ten seconds before moving on to the next person. "I hope I don't get pick." Abe muttered. _

"_Why not?" Bloom asked smiling, she already knew why. Abe was a horrible singer. Bloom had heard him sing once and that was when they were in fourth grade, never again will she just stand there and listen to him, she would be running the other way as soon as she could. She laughed when he glared at her, he must have known what she was thinking. Before Abe could say anything the light landed on him. He looked so horrified, Bloom would have hugged him. Bloom heard him sigh in relief when the light moved on. Though she saw that some girls looked disappointed, Bloom smiled. _

_And then the light landed on her. She left out a small wince that only Abe could hear. She felt that the light was on her for hours… and then the unspeakable happened. The light turned red on her. That meant she was picked… crap… she made eye contact with Matthew, he gave a small smile and a wink. Why was he so different on stage? She guessed he was like Harry. Harry's domain was in the sky and Matthew's must be on the stage. Someone gently pushed her from behind towards the stage… as she got closer, the intensely of the stares got stronger. When Matthew held his hand out to her, there was a growl from the crowd. It got even worse when she took his hand. He smiled and then turned to the crowd. "Our winner is none other than Bloom Potter!" he shouted. "You may not know this, but we actually met not that long ago." Bloom winced, that was not a smart thing to say, now people – mainly girls – were going to say that she was picked because of that or her fame. "Now, Bloom… we're going to sing a song together… but we won't give away the name of the song." He leaned close to her and whispered the name of the song in her ear. The music started shortly after that. It was surprising that Matthew had picked a muggle song… she hoped that the Pure-Bloods didn't notice. "This song is for all the couples out there!"_

_[Matthew]_

'_**Baby, you is the diamond that lasts forever**_

_**And I just can't take a single step without you**_

_**Baby, to you I'll always be a faithful lover**_

_**'Cause my heart can't make a single beat without you'**_

_Matthew danced around her like she was some kind of trophy. It was a clean dance, nothing wrong. Thank God, otherwise Harry might have tried to kill him. In fact, she could see Harry glaring at Matthew from his seat. Remus seemed to have returned, he seemed to be trying to decide whether in to get her off the stage or kill Matthew. She just hoped they didn't cause a scene._

'_**You make me fly, you get me high**_

_**You turn my world to such a better place**_

_**Your crazy touch, the sweetest rush**_

_**Is something to save my life'**_

_Matthew didn't let anything stop him; he reached out into the crowd to let his fans grab his hand for a moment. He jumped up and down and pulled Bloom along. She had to dance so she wouldn't look like some kind of idiot. She just moved her body the way the beat of the music made her. The dress length was getting in her way, so to solve that she took out her wand and made the length of it shorter but not too short, just a bit above her knees. Bloom saw Sirius return, with Aurora next to him._

'_**I wanna spend my nights and days between your arms**_

_**Every day breathing your love**_

_**And even in my dreams I wanna be kissing your lips**_

_**Baby, breathing your love'**_

_Matthew traced his hand on her face. Making the crowd go wild, some in a good way and others in not so much of a good way; Ron seemed to be holding Harry back. Professor Snape was glaring towards the stage with eyes that could make a dragon cry in fear. Professor Dumbledore had one hand on Remus's shoulder; it seemed that he was holding him back. Aurora was standing in front of Sirius has he tried to run towards the stage. She was pushing back with all her might. _

'_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love'**_

_Her part was coming in now. She took a breath and looked towards the crowd, she saw Abe smile at her with sad eyes. She felt a pinch in her stomach. Why did he look so sad? She stared at him as she began to sing her part along with Matthew._

_[Together]_

'_**Baby boo, only you can make me recover**_

_**The lost parts of me I thought they'd gone a long time ago'**_

_Here was her solo part. People were going to be listening to her and just her now… she didn't know whether to be nervous or excited. She went with _

"_Hurry – up – and – get –this – over – with Plan." A plan was better than no plan._

_[Bloom]_

'_**With you life runs like the best love letter**_

_**I was just an empty soul until you stepped in to my show**_

_**You make me fly, you get me high**_

_**You turn my world to such a better place**_

_**Your crazy touch, the sweetest rush**_

_**Is something to save my life'**_

_She felt the music flow through her as she sang; the students began to stare at her with new eyes. She danced away from Matthew and headed to the front of the stage. She waved an arm up in a long arc, causing people to jump up and down with her. They seemed too really like her singing, if she wasn't so busy singing she would have sighed in relief._

_[Together]_

'_**I wanna spend my nights and days between your arms**_

_**Every day breathing your love**_

_**And even in my dreams I wanna be kissing your lips**_

_**Baby, breathing your love'**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love'**_

_Matthew danced towards her but Bloom had other plans, she danced to him and then away. Like she was playing hard to get, whenever she was within his reach, she danced away making him miss her and only catch the air. He pouted each time he missed her, making some people laugh. Bloom heard Sirius shout; "That's right Bloom! Don't let the brat touch you!"_

'_**I wanna have that crazy love**_

_**Want it running in my blood**_

_**I want it taking over me, over me, over me**_

_**I wanna spend my nights and days between your arms**_

_**Every day breathing your love**_

_**And even in my dreams I wanna be kissing your lips**_

_**Baby, breathing your love'**_

_But then, finally Matthew caught her around the waist, there was a shout from Sirius again but, this time with Remus and Harry's voice. "Get your hands off her!" when Matthew was distracted with the shouts, Bloom slipped out of his hold and danced to the front again. She swore she saw him shake his head as he laughed. There was another cry of, "Good girl!"_

_[Bloom]_

'_**I wanna spend my nights and days between your arms**_

_**Every day breathing your love'**_

"_You better hope that's just the words of the song young lady!" Sirius shouted over the music. Honestly, he was worse than Harry. Leave it to him, to take the song seriously. Why didn't he just go and dance with Aurora. Bloom saw Aurora glare at Sirius and smack him behind the head. _Thank You Aurora!_ Remus seemed to agree with Sirius but wisely kept his mouth shut when Aurora turned to look at him. Professor Snape seemed to be ignoring Aurora's glare. Aurora smiled at them as Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall laughed silently._

_[Together]_

'_**And even in my dreams I wanna be kissing your lips**_

_**Baby, breathing your love**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Breathing your love, love, love**_

_**Baby, breathing your love, love, love'**_

_And just like that it was finally over. Bloom gave a long sigh and then jumped when people were cheering her name. She looked around the room, Fred and George were jumping like mad men, shouting over everyone and chanting. "Go Baby Potter! Go Baby Potter!" over and over again. For the first time, she smiled at the nickname. She knew that they were chanting it to bug her but mostly to cheer her on. Hermione was standing next to Krum, her hand cupped around her mouth and was shouting. "Go Bloom!" Ginny and Luna seemed to be following her lead. Neville, Alex and Micky were all smiling up at her and waving their arms. Harry looked glad that Matthew wasn't touching her, so were Remus and Sirius. _

"_You go girl!" The leader singer from Weird Sisters came up to her and put her arm around Bloom. "You got a pair of lungs, what do you guys think?" she asked the crowd. There was uproar, Bloom couldn't believe it. Her face felt hot from dancing and singing around the stage. "Can you do me a favor Hun?" _

_Bloom looked at her confused. "Um… sure, what is it?"_

"_Wanna sing a song with me?"_

_Bloom's mouth dropped. She couldn't have heard what she thought she heard, right? She stared at her in disbelief. She moved her mouth but nothing came out. The Weird Sisters chuckled. "Is that a yes?"_

"_Yes, I mean… I would love too!"_

"_Okay, let's start ladies!" she pulled Bloom along and showed her the song title, Bloom smiled. It was one of her favorite songs; she loved singing to it whenever she needed a pick-me-up. The beat started lowly and then it was getting faster and louder, it was a mixture of salsa, hip hop and RB and there was even a hint of rock in it. It was the sort of beat; you let your hair down and start to move to the music, no actual style of dancing but free-style. "We're going to make the music Potter, you sing." Bloom nodded once. "But first," she looked at Bloom's dress. "you won't be able to move in that." With the flick of her wand, Bloom's dress became a tank top and a pair of white jeans. It was the same design as her dress. _

_Bloom walked to the front, she saw everyone staring at her. She closed her eyes and began to move with the beat; jazz, hip hop, RB, ballet. She didn't where her dancing was coming from, it just was. It was like something was guiding her. She licked her lips once and then began to sing._

"_**I wanna see you dance like no one's there**_

_**You're all alone and you don't care cause**_

_**This is your night, I let them all stay**_

_**You're so amazing, mazing, azing"**_

"_**Baby tonight, turn the music loud**_

_**Cause we'll all be dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire, throw your hand's higher**_

_**Everyone's dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**We'll be dancing tonight"**_

_Bloom started to move around the stage along with the leader of The Weird Sisters. She would do moves that Bloom had never seen before. And then she did something unbelievable, she jumped off the stage and started to crowd surf. Even while doing that she was still singing. Now that was a true singer._

"_**Oooh I like the sound**_

_**I like how the music turns me out**_

_**Heart beating to the sound of the base drum**_

_**Feet tapping to the snare on occasion"**_

"_**Hold me now baby**_

_**Tell me we're all done with waiting**_

_**Don't care about conversation**_

_**Let me see your hands up**_

_**Feel your heartbeat racing"**_

"_**Baby tonight, turn the music loud**_

_**Cause we'll all be dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire, throw your hand's higher**_

_**Everyone's dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**We'll be dancing tonight"**_

_Bloom saw Abe dancing with their friends; she wanted to join them so bad. But she wanted to finish the song first, from the corner of her eye she saw Terry and Susan dancing around. Susan seemed to be trying to do some of the moves Bloom had did. "Don't sway your hips so much!" Harry shouted over the music. Bloom rolled her eyes; it wasn't like she was doing anything bad; all her dance moves were distain. _

"_**Music's to my system**_

_**I'm feeling good and baby I got a mission**_

_**I'm trying to turn the club out**_

_**Make the party run out**_

_**Find the little cutie-cu-cutie**_

_**When the club's out"**_

"_**Baby tonight, turn the music loud**_

_**Cause we'll all be dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire, throw your hand's higher**_

_**Everyone's dancing, dancing, dancing**_

_**We'll be dancing tonight"**_

_The weird sisters were all dancing around with their instruments; Bloom didn't know how they were doing it without messing up on the lyrics or notes. But they were doing it perfectly and in sync. Bloom was trying not to laugh when Fred and George started climbing on the stage, Bloom could hear Professor McGonagall shout at them to get down but, Bloom didn't mind. She pulled them off on and danced along with them. They started to dance like goof balls but, they were having so much fun Bloom didn't have the heart to tell them off._

"_**Ooooh, oooh, ooooh**_

_**Turn the music loud**_

_**We'll be dancing**_

_**Turn this party loud**_

_**We'll be dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire**_

_**We'll be dancing**_

_**Dancing tonight"**_

_Next some students started to set off some fireworks – made by Fred and George – they formed different shapes of animals and even people, there was one of Professor McGonagall breathing fire. Some students were even laughing at that, but the real Professor McGonagall really did look ready to breathe fire. Remus was turned away from Professor McGonagall, he seemed to be trying not to laugh, and Bloom saw Professor Snape cough into his fist. Sirius on the other hand, he fell to the ground laughing. Professor McGonagall looked really to curse him, Aurora was laughing when Sirius saw the look on Professor McGonagall's face._

"_**We'll be dancing**_

_**Baby tonight**_

_**Turn the music out**_

_**Cause we'll all be dancing dancing dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire**_

_**Throw your hands higher**_

_**Everyone's dancing dancing dancing**_

_**Baby tonight**_

_**Turn the music loud**_

_**Cause we'll be dancing dancing dancing**_

_**Set this floor on fire**_

_**Throw your hands higher**_

_**Everyone's dancing dancing dancing**_

_**We'll be dancing tonight"**_

_Bloom was picked up by Fred and George, they spun her around. It was a miracle she could finish the song. _

"_**Ehhoh, eeeoh**_

_**We'll be dancing tonight"**_

_Someone set off more fireworks, but these were louder and bigger than the first ones. Fred and George jumped up and down at the noise and started to chant; "Party! Party! Party!" Bloom laughed as she got off the stage and ran to her friends. Bloom saw that Fred and George follow her. "Oh, I'm going to tell you how the Marauders are." They both fell down the final steps and landed in front of her feet. Bloom burst out in laughter. They untangled themselves from each other and quickly pulled her away from the crowd._

"_Tell us!"_

"_Please Bloom! This is killing us!"_

"_Alright! Alright!" Bloom laughed. "Relax… okay, first… I'll tell you whose Moony." Fred and George's eyes were so wide to begin with but now, there were the size of her fist. "It's Remus Lupin." It took a solid thirty minutes for the boys to understand what that meant._

"_Do you mean to tell us…"_

"… _that we were taught by Marauders' Moony…"_

"_and we didn't know it!"_

"_Yup!" Bloom smiled. "Do you want to know the rest?"_

"_Yes… I can't wait to… oh my god, we know Moony." George whispered like he was saying something holy. Fred nodded with his twin. _

"_Well, Padfoot is Sirius Black…" Bloom said. Fred and George both opened their mouths, like they were giving a silent scream. Bloom would have laughed if their faces were so weird looking. But she could swear they said, "We know two Marauders."_

"_Go on Bloom, go on." They were shaking with excitement. They looked so happy and cute Bloom wanted to hug them but the best gift she could give them was the names of the Marauders. _

"_Wormatil was Peter." She said in an icy tone. _

_The twins gave a growl, "He is dead to us… he doesn't – that slim ball…"_

"_But Prongs…" Bloom started. She smiled at them sadly, "Prongs was… he was my dad. My dad was Prongs."_

_Fred and George stared at her with eyes full with sadness and understanding. "Your father was a great man, Bloom."_

"_He truly was."_

"_I know… now let's go party, I know he wouldn't want us to mope around. Let's have some fun!"_

"_Too right… now if you would excuse us… MOONY! PADFOOT!" Fred and George went off running towards Remus and Sirius._

_After a few minutes, her dress went back to normal. She walked around looking for Abe, she found him near the front doors. "Hey, why are you here?"_

"_Just trying to stop the music from cracking my head open." he smiled._

"_Are you okay?" Bloom asked, "You seemed… well are you mad at me?" Bloom saw him bit down on the corner of his lower lip, a habit he had whenever he was trying to control his temper. That meant he was mad, but at her? She wasn't sure. "You can talk to me you know."_

"_Did you have fun on stage?" he asked._

_Bloom sighed; she knew he would change the topic. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from everyone. They walked passed many people, passed a few hallways and until finally they were alone. She let him go and turned to look at him, "What's wrong Aberam?" she asked. "And don't you dare say it's nothing or change the topic. Now, what's wrong?"_

_She saw him bit his lip this time. "It's nothing, really Bloom…" he saw her glare, "you seemed to be really good friend with Greyback."_

_Bloom blinked in shock. "Grey – what does Matthew have to do with anything? We're just friends… like I told you, we meet by pure chance. His brother was the little boy I saved during the summer. This is like the third time we've actually talked…"_

"_So, there's nothing really going on with you two?" _

"_No, we're just friends…"_

_She watched him as he began to relax; he had seemed really bothered by the thought of her and Matthew. It's wasn't like she liked Matthew, she barely even knew him. She smiled when Abe's face began to light up. And then he hugged her and spun her around… her breath got caught in her throat. They tried to pull apart when they noticed they couldn't move at all. "What's going on?" Abe asked._

"_I don't know… can you move?"_

"_No… oh crap…"_

"_What is it?"_

"… _Don't get mad…"_

"_Why?"_

"_Look up."_

_Bloom tilted her head, her eyes popped opened. She was surprised they didn't roll out; on top of their heads was a shiny red mistletoe. Right above them and, it wasn't the usually mistletoe. It was a magical one, which meant they couldn't move apart until they – until they – until they kissed. Both Abe and Bloom turned right red._

"_Uh – I mean – I – what do we do?" Abe asked. "We can't move until we – we –"_

"_I know…" she didn't really mind kissing him; it was just that – it would be her first kiss. She wanted her first kiss to be with someone she liked, not that she didn't like Abe… it was just … it was Abe. What if it got awkward after they kissed… and Bloom couldn't understand why a part of her wanted to kiss him while the other part wanted to run the other way? "I guess we have to, it's not like we can stay here all night."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Not really… let's just – let's just get this over with."_

_They lined up in front of each other, Bloom let out a deep breath and looked up to Abe. He looked serious, like this was really important to him. He slowly leaned down as Bloom began to stand on her toes. Before their lips met, Bloom closed her eyes._

_At first, their lips just brushed, when they started to break apart – out of her control – Bloom repressed her lips back to his, surprising both him and her. She had felt such warmth from him; she felt that she needed more. She felt her stomach fill with butterflies, she was anxious when he didn't kiss her back but then, he did. She felt herself smile but didn't remove her lips from him. Without meaning to it became a small snog. It wasn't like those she had seen with other couples but the type when the couple just needed to know they were there for each other and that it was real. The world outside her seemed to disappear. She didn't even notice when her arms went around his neck, but she did feel his arms around her._

_When they broke apart, both of them were blushing red. Bloom's hands began to slide back down slowly, Abe's hold on her lighten. They stayed quiet for a while, not knowing what to say. What could they say? Hey, that was an amazing kiss. Want to do it again?_

_Bzz Bzz, that was out of the question. Bloom was trying to think of a way of making everything right again when Abe spoke. "Bloom, do you want to go to Hogsmead together next time?" he said it in a low voice, Bloom wasn't sure she heard him right… what was with her hearing these days?_

_But then the idea of going with him did sound like fun, what was there to lose by saying yes. And before she knew it, she had said yes._

Now Bloom was still on her bed, trying to calm her beating heart. Was she nervous or happy about the whole thing? One thing was for sure, she'll find out tomorrow. For now, she'll change and go to bed. For this has been a very _very_ long day for her. Jiji jumped on her bed, meow a yawn and then fell asleep on her pillow. When Bloom finished changing, she got an idea. She took out her wand and thought back when Abe's lips were on hers.

"Expecto Patonum!"

Out came a small creature, it looked like a baby. It had a four small legs and a small head… a baby fawn. The fawn jumped once, before looking around and jumping around the room in a graceful fashion. Bloom watched with her mouth wide open.

* * *

**[Reasons why I picked a baby fawn: 1.) my best friend is pregnant and well – she has mood swings. She ****threatened**** me and ****demanded**** I make it a baby fawn, since she loves fawns… 2.) She loves Fawn Inc. the make-up thingy. 3.) I thought of Bambi. 4.) "DOE/STAG/Type of Deer – You are like the deer. Boy or girl, you are a compassionate, gentle and loving person. If you are feeling negative emotions such as anger, try letting go. Think about whether a gentler and more loving approach can sort the issue out. It may be necessary to speak the truth, this is best done with kindness and from the heart, this will generally give a better result. Even when grazing, mother deer's are constantly watchful, fully aware and alert of what is going on all around them—mindful of the fragile creature they nurture and protect. They can hear a twig snap a very long way off. People with this Patronus are often swift and alert. Deer's teaches us to be gentle, to touch the hearts and minds of wounded beings who are in our lives. Don't push people to change, rather gently nudge them in right direction, with the love that comes from deer. Love and accept people as they are."]**

**Well I think I'm going to end it here… in the next chapter I will be writing about Sirius and Aurora and what exactly happened during their walk… ;D **

**See you soon!**

**Please review! And thank my beta Mira SSBS**

**I JUST GOT MY GRADES! THREE A'S AND ONE B! YES! I DID IT! THEY HAVE MOVED ME UP TO A JUNIOR, though my friends are all sophomores, still…. And I'm the youngest of all of us… Ha take that world! **


	57. Scoops Of All Kinds

**Hey guys,**

**I hope you've enjoyed the last chapter… I'm so tired, why? I'm not too sure. I'm trying to write ahead of time but there doesn't seem to be enough time. I've gotten addicted to this show called Family Outing, it's a show from Korea and I love it. It's about a group of super stars getting together and they have to look after elders' home and do everything that the Elders wrote down for them to do. And also play games and have special guest, I love it. It showed Rain! **_**The**_** Rain! He couldn't touch fish, ha! **

**Anyways, I should start writing…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

* * *

**Scoops of All Kinds**

* * *

_Sirius held Aurora's hand has he led her to the lake, she didn't say a word. Just followed him, he was a bit nervous. Where should he start? He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. She looked the same but yet, she was different. She was slightly taller though that wasn't saying much. Her eyes were the thing that changed the most… they were still big and warm chocolate brown and yet, they seemed lonely and sad. He saw her looked at their hands still holding each other. He smiled when he saw her blush. When he was about to step on the lake, she pulled him back. "What are you doing?" she asked. "The water is freezing!"_

_He forgot she didn't like the cold; she wasn't used to it like he was. "Do you trust me?" he asked_

_She looked at him with wide eyes but then, she nodded. "Yes." Though she looked uneasy at the cold water, she wasn't really a fan of water; he remembered that she couldn't swim. _

_He stepped into the lake but didn't sink._

_Aurora gasped. "What spell are you using?" she stared with wide eyes at their feet. They were literally walking on water, her father's family should to talk about Jesus and how he was a muggle but could walk on water. He was a magical muggle but not in a wizard way, in a Godly way. _

"_A spell of my own invention."_

_Aurora's lip twitch, he always was a show off. And yet, it was that very thing that made her really see him, the real him._

"_Care to dance?" he asked her._

"_In the middle of the lake?"_

"_Why not?"_

_Aurora laughed. "You haven't changed." _

_Sirius winked at her, "Of course not, why change perfection?"_

_Aurora rolled her eyes; she forgot how modest he was. "Shut up and start dancing."_

_He surprised her when he grabbed her left hand and had his right hand on her waist. She put her free hand on his shoulder. He started to lead her into the dance, this dance was familiar. She gasped when she realized what dance this was; the waltz from Sleeping Beauty. She remembered that a long time ago she had told him that she loved that film, even though he had no idea what it was. She was amazed that he remembered._

"_You – you remembered?" she looked up at him._

_He smiled down at her, "Of course, before you –" he swallowed. She knew what he was going to say before she was taken away. "During Christmas in our last year, Lily showed us the film Sleeping Beauty. I don't really understand why you love it so much, the Prince doesn't even look like me." Aurora rolled her eyes. "But then, I saw them dance together. I understood a bit why you liked it so much… when they danced together; it was like they knew each other for a long time. She didn't know who he was and he didn't care that she wasn't a princes – well he didn't know at the time – it was like he was a Pure-Blood and she was a muggle-born or even a muggle. I guess that's how I saw it… bonus it would bug my mother."_

_They didn't talk for a bit until she said what she had been wanting to say for a while now; "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and the others when you needed me most." She couldn't look him in the eyes._

"_Why did they take you?" he asked her. She looked at him for a bit before sighing. _

"_My mother… she first let me come here for school because she wanted to protect me from the media and to know how the world was like before I took over for her. But then, the war started to get worse each week. She feared if Voldemort." Sirius loved that she had never been afraid to say his name or flinch at it. "If he knew that I was here, he would try to get me… my family is an ancient family from the days of the Aztec, the only ones left." She swallowed. "She sent me an owl, demanding that I returned now. I begged her to give me a few days, just so I could let you guys know and so I could… so I could…" she started to blush, how could she tell him that she was going to confess to him, even though she never really planned it. _

_She stayed silent; though she was sure she was turning red. _

"_What was that spell they used to take you?" he asked._

_Aurora sighed, silently thanking him for changing the topic. "It's a Mexican spell; it transports a person or a group of people anywhere where the summoners want. Once the symbols are on the ground, you're trapped in the spell. The flames are a part of it too, it forms the barrier."_

"_Would they come back and get you again?" he held her tighter._

"_No." she shook her head. "I'm a Representative for Latin America and America. I'm at the same level as my mother and the President of America, who happens to be my father."_

_Sirius's jaw dropped. "Father? What?"_

"_He's a muggle-born from America; he won the election last term. If he wins the election again, it'll be his second term."_

"_Wow, your family is pretty famous."_

"_Well, the journalists are usually stationed in my front yard, demanding an interview. It's annoying as heck."_

"_Can't your father stop them?"_

"_Nope, Freedom of Speech and Press…" she smiled. "It's a blessing but a curse at the same time."_

_Sirius stayed silently for a bit before saying what he needed to say; "Aurora, about that letter. We never sent it; we looked for you for so long… Albus didn't know where you could be, we tried everything. A locater spell, we even tried to look for you the muggle way. Every time we got close to something, it ended up being a false trail. I – I missed you so much." He had stopped dancing and just hugged her very tightly. _

_She hugged him back but with a lot less force. "I missed you too." She whispered._

_It wasn't known how long they stayed there, it could have been seconds' maybe even minutes but not more than thirty minutes that was for sure. Even though her feet were starting to freeze, she didn't say anything. She felt warm in his arms… last time he had held her like this was when they had fallen into five feet deep of snow. James and Lily had tackled them with snowball, causing Aurora to fall back, Sirius reached to stead her when Remus threw a snowball right on his face, causing both of them to roll down the small hill and into very deep snow. It had taken the others a while to dig them out, since Sirius and Aurora couldn't dig themselves out and it was so cold they had to hug each other for body heat. It was then, when Aurora realized that she was starting to like Sirius. He had wrapped his arms around her so she wouldn't get hurt from the fall._

"_The day they took you." Sirius started. "I was waiting for you with the others… I had planned to take you on a date without you knowing." She gave a small chuckle. "Lily helped me plan it… she said I should take you to the places you like and maybe get you something, Remus was all up for chocolate." Aurora laughed, it sounded so much like Remus. "I even had flowers ready at the Three Broomsticks… I was so nervous, each second was killing me. And then I sensed you coming, I literally ran to you. I was excited and nervous at the same time. And then… I saw you running towards me and being followed by __them." __he sighed. "I wanted to save you so bad; I wanted to take you away from them but they…"_

"_They're professionals, they were trained to hunt down and seize their target… it's a program my ancestors made after our home was nearly destroyed… if you had gotten even closer, they would have killed you."_

"_I would have still taken that chance."_

_Aurora smiled. "You're such a Gryffindor."_

"_Don't you forget, Love."_

_Aurora laughed. "You know, we can still go on that date."_

"_Really?"_

"_Sure, we can have it now if you want but, get me out of this lake please. I'm freezing."_

_Sirius laughed at her but still helped her escape the cold. They went back to the Great Hall to see Bloom on stage. The singer with her was trying to get a hold of her, Sirius kept yelling over the music, when the brat – he meant boy did get her, Sirius was ready to tackle him into the ground but Aurora stopped him. and then when the firework of Professor McGonagall appeared, Sirius was laughing so hard, he said, "That really does look like her when she's after you." Unfortunately for him, she was right behind him. He must have sensed her glare because he stopped laughing, only to make everyone around him laugh._

_Aurora danced with Albus while Sirius was trying to sweet talk McGonagall, it didn't seem to be working out for him. Aurora than changed panthers, this time she grabbed Severus' arm and pulled him to the dance floor. She ignored his glare and made him dance, well more like she moved side to side while he just stood there glaring at her. It didn't even affect her, she just laughed._

* * *

**DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE**

**Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence.**

**Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.**

**Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates.**

**An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being "very frightening." "I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm," says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student.**

**"We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."**

**Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs.**

**The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.**

**"I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject. As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard.**

**He is not, in fact, even pure human.**

**His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.**

**While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.**

**In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend – but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.**

Bloom finished reading the article. "That foul evil little cockroach!" she shouted in the common room causing everyone to jump. "Fred! George!" she shouted. The twins quickly went up to her. "You know our little experiment? Well I want it to happen right now… and I mean _now_! I'll get some dirt on that Cow! No one messes with Hagrid and gets away with it. Everyone involved in insulting Hagrid must get it… I'll be back soon. I even to have a little look into Skeeter's file and believe me, I do have accuse to it!" she marched out of the common room.

"And that's my friends –" started George.

"Is why you don't mess with Baby Potter."

Bloom was almost at the library when she saw Hermione marching towards it too. "The Cow?" Bloom asked.

Hermione nodded, "The Cow, we need dirt on her and soon…"

"I agree, let's get to work."

Hermione and Bloom bought book after book to their table. Hermione looked through the books while Bloom went to look at the file about Ministry people. Madam Bones had given her permission, seeing that Bloom was able to free one innocent person; just maybe she'll find another one. She was so into her work, she didn't notice someone walking towards her. At least, not until that person was tapping her shoulder lightly.

Bloom jumped a bit before blushing at the smiling person. "Jumpy aren't we?"

Bloom blushed red, "Shut up Abe."

She heard him chuckle, "What are you doing?" he looked at the file in her hand.

"I'm trying to find dirt on that cow." She explained looking back at the file. But she wasn't every looking, she was trying to stop or at least slow down her heart beat. She prayed he couldn't hear it. She hadn't talked to him much since their kiss; in truth she was avoiding him a bit. She had never been in this kind of situation before and she didn't have a mother to go to. She wished her mother was there to help her but sadly that would never happen. She'll have to make due.

"Who's the cow?" he asked.

"Rita Skeeter."

"Oh, I read what she wrote… please let me help you."

"Grab a file and start digging."

* * *

"_That's the funniest thing I have ever heard in my life!" _Bloom had not stopped laughing since Harry had told her that Myrtle had tried to see him naked in bath. She even had tears in her eyes. "Just wait until Sirius hears about this!" Harry was slowly turning red, for anger or embarrassment, Bloom wasn't sure but, she couldn't help but laugh in his face.

"It isn't funny Bloom!" Harry shouted over Bloom's laughter. "I barely made it out of there, I was running out of bubbles!" that sentences alone made Bloom laugh even louder. Her poor brother was now being harassed by a teenage ghost and Myrtle at that! She just had to get to Sirius and Remus and let them know about this! Harry must have known what was going through her head because he said, "Don't even think about it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bloom said finally stopping for air. "Oh, now that I think about it; I have to go to Professor Snape and ask him something…" she skipped towards the door, "Don't worry it has nothing to do with your love affair with Myrtle!"

Bloom quickly ran out, she could hear Harry's shouts and his footsteps getting closer to her.

She squealed when she felt his hand brush her pony tail. She ran faster but Harry was always faster than her, but she had faster reflexes. She dodged him by turning into one hall and then quickly made a swirl with her feet causing her to turn back into the direction she was heading in the first place. Harry was confused for a second but; a second was all she needed.

She was able to get to the snowy grounds before he could get her, but then he tackled her and they both fell into the snow. They laughed as soon as they got up and started to throw snow at each other. For a while, they were just Bloom and Harry, totally normal siblings just having fun. Soon All the Weasleys and Hermione came out to play and then Abe, Micky and Alex appeared. A full out snowball fight took off within seconds.

* * *

"A hundred and eight degrees, young lady you have a very high fever." Madam Poppy said with her hands on her hips. "Just what were you doing?"

Bloom looked at her with half open eyes. She had woken up with an acky feeling and heavy eyes. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep but Ginny had called Hermione, since Bloom did not want to get up and go to the Hospital Wing. She was carried by Harry to the Hospital Wing. Hermione and Ginny had helped her down the steps when Harry saw them. He quickly ran and _demanded _to know what was going on, within seconds Bloom found herself on Harry's back and on the way to the Hospital Wing. "We had a snowball fight yesterday…"

She heard Madam Poppy sigh. "I'll give you a potion but you must rest here… the second task is tomorrow morning, I'll have to keep you her for it. So please stay put or do I have to stun you like I had to do to your Father and Mother?"

Bloom sniffed. "No." Bloom would have laughed how her voice sounded or at least sweet talked out of it but, she just felt too darn awful.

"Good." Madam Poppy gave her a nasty grey potion. "I'll be back soon."

"Yes Madam."

Bloom didn't know how long she slept; she felt rested but yet, she felt like she hadn't even closed her eyes when she heard it. Music; It was soft and low, Bloom could barely hear it. Suddenly, she felt like she was being hypnotized. Her body started to move without her say, it was like she was dreaming and yet she knew she wasn't or else she wouldn't feel cold. The castle was basically empty, she saw no one that could help her or at least explain what was going on. She was at the edge of the Black Lake when her body finally stopped. She was shriving from the cold and wished she could go back inside – somewhere warm at least and then a head came out of the water.

A person with green hair and grey skin; it was a Merperson. Well that totally ruined Bloom's wish to be a mermaid like Ariel from The Little Mermaid. The Mermaid raised her hand to Bloom, Bloom's body reached towards her.

That was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Cold.

It was so cold.

Why was it so cold?

Wet.

She was wet.

Why was she cold and wet? What was going on?

She remembered being in the Hospital Wing resting and then nothing else. Next thing she knew, she was in the middle of the lake. This was seriously not good for her fever. Plus, she didn't know how to swim. She barely felt the hands that were holding her and then finally she hearing came back.

"What did you bring her for?"

"Fleur didn't turn up, I couldn't leave her," Harry panted.

"Harry, you prat," said Ron, "you didn't take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown!"

"What's going on?" Bloom asked, she sounded scared.

Ron seemed to barely have noticed her. "Bloom? What are you doing here?"

"I don't know I was in the Hospital wing and then… a- a – _Achoo_!"

"We have to great them out of the water. You help her, I'll get Bloom."

Ron pulled Fleur's sister through the water, back toward the bank where the judges stood watching, twenty merpeople accompanying them like a guard of honour, singing their horrible screechy songs.

Bloom could see Madam Pomfrey fussing over Hermione, Krum, Cedric, and Cho, all of whom were wrapped in thick blankets. Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Ron from the bank as they swam nearer, but Percy, who looked very white and somehow much younger than usual, came splashing out to meet them. Sirius and Remus were also there; they looked just how Percy did and followed his lead. Meanwhile Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, fighting tooth and nail to return to the water.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"

Percy seized Ron and was dragging him back to the bank ("Gerroff, Percy, I'm all right!"); Sirius and Remus reached them not a second later, Remus helped Gabrielle while Sirius grabbed Harry on side and Bloom was in between Sirius and Remus. Bloom held on tightly, she did not like this situation. Bloom was so weak that by the time they were at the bank, she didn't feel when someone pulled her out of the water. That someone dried her clothes and then put someone warm around her. She didn't care who it was at the moment. She just wanted to be warm.

Dumbledore and Bagman were pulling Harry upright; Fleur had broken free of Madame Maxime and was hugging her sister. "It was ze grindylows… zey attacked me… oh Gabrielle, I thought… I thought…"

Bloom closed her eyes. She was too weak to really understand what was going on, she felt someone help her drink a potion and there was another blanket wrapped around her again. But just then, Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

Applause from the stands.

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour."

Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd.

"We therefore award him forty-seven points."

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."

Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior. "Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own. Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows moral fibre and merits full marks. However… Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

Harry was now in second place.

"Now, Miss Potter addition was also explained. We had used Mr. Weasley because Miss Potter was sick and not able to attend but it seems that Merchieftainess Murcus sensed that Miss Potter could and should still be in the task for she wanted to know if family really meant something to Wizards. Now, let's all return to the castle."

He wasn't saying all the truth about why Bloom was suddenly taken as well but they didn't want to frighten the children. Bloom felt someone pick her up bridal style and began the walk back to the castle.

* * *

**Sorry it took me a while. I'm sick… I haven't been sleeping well and that's not helping my cause. It turns out that the medicine is way to strong for me, i have to get special doses or else i'll get overdosed again. i hate that my body is so weak. **

**It hurts that since i was little the doctors kept saying that i won't make it to 20... I'm turning 20 this year, in December. I won't give up though. I know i'm improving.**

** Please review! And thank my Beta.**


	58. Madness

**Sorry that the last chapter was so bad, I didn't put all I had it in. I just wanted to get it over with. I'm getting so tired lately. Class starts on the fourth again… so much for resting. I went to a sweet sixteen yesterday my friend's sister, but I know both of them and so does my sister (who is a major pain in the butt by the way)**

**Quick question, do you know what 2:11 means when a guy says it?**

**I don't, I heard a guy say it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

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.

**Madness **

**.**

**.**

**.**

Bloom had to stay at the Hospital Wing for four days; the little trip to the lake had made her feel worse. At first it was just a fever but now, it had turned into an awful cold and she had thrown up at least four times. Instead of her skin being a peachy color, it had turned pale yellow and the pink in her cheeks were gone. Sometimes during the day, she would get sudden chills or wake up in cold sweat. Professor Snape had made her a special potion that would help her keep some food in her stomach; the little that she did keep down would come up within an hour. She needed to eat so she could take her potions. It took a while but finally, she was cured; though Madam Poppy wanted to keep her for a very more hours.

"You may leave once you finish this soup." Madam Poppy said. She had placed a large bowl of chicken soup. Bloom didn't really mind the chicken; it was the vegetables that she didn't like, especially when they were saggy. She could never eat it, even when she was younger.

Bloom pouted as she stared at the soup; the soup that seemed to be mocking her. She glared at it.

"You know that glaring at it isn't going to make it disappear, right?" Bloom looked up to see Abe standing next to her feet and it seemed like he was trying not to laugh. He had a rolled up magazine in one hand and a slice of toast in the other. He placed the tip of the toast in his mouth and used his free hand to pull a chair next to her. "Why don't you just eat it? The sooner you do, the sooner you leave."

"But the vegetables are so… yuck!"

Abe rolled his eyes. "Here." He passed her the magazine. "You might want to read this."

Bloom looked at the magazine and then grinned. "I didn't know you like Witch Weekly, what other secrets are you hiding from me Abby?"

Abe blushed and glared at her. "Just read it."

A colour photograph of Harry headed a short piece entitled:

**Harry Potter's Secret Heartache**

**A boy like no other, perhaps- yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger.**

**Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.**

**Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections.**

**Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."**

**However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.**

**"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."**

**Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.**

"That – that – Cow!" Bloom hissed. "I have to find some dirt on her and soon. How does she know these things? Parkinson… pretty?" Bloom snorted. "The girl looks like a pug!" Bloom tried to think, how could she get dirt on her? She knew that Skeecter was born in the forty's and did attend Hogwarts but there was nothing special about her. Average grades, though she was good – well better than her other classes – at Transfiguration. There just had to be some kind of clue… she knew it was there but she couldn't see it.

Abe leaned back in his chair, "I knew you would react this way… but it was better that a friend told you about it instead of… well anyone. Hermione blew her top in one of her classes… she seems ready to hunt down that old cow."

Bloom sighed. There was nothing she could do until got out of the hospital wing. "I really don't want to eat this."

Abe grin, "I can feed you did you want."

Bloom blushed and grabbed her spoon before he could. '"I'm only eating the chicken and soup, you can have the vegetables."

.

~.~

.

Bloom was in the middle of Muggle studies when the whole room was filled with white light. Many screamed and everyone covered their eyes. Orders from the Professor were heard; "Under your desks! Wands out!"

Luna, Ginny and Bloom got under one desk and had their wands ready in case anything came out of the white light. The light flashed one last time and everything went back to normal. "No one get up yet, I have to check it out." After a few moments, the Professor gave the okay.

Bloom's jaw dropped when she saw the walls. Every inch of the classroom was filled with posters of Malfoy as a ferret; it looked like someone had taken a picture of Malfoy during his little incident and enlarged it. At the bottom of the poster were the flashing words of "Malfoy! The Amazing Bouncing Ferret!" the fellow classmates started to laugh, Bloom looked down at her desk to see a note.

It was from Fred and George.

_Hey Baby Potter!_

_We added a bit more to the prank just to bug Malfoy. We already gave him our special Candy and it should be taking effect in about two minutes._

_Sorry if we scared anyone. But if you want to know the rest of the prank… well you'll going to have to wait until dinnertime. For a very special lady is going to get a very special letter. No worries, it isn't you… it's the pug girl. _

_Anyways, keep on the look out!_

_Gred and Forge._

.

~.~

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It was dinnertime when Bloom found Hermione glaring at her food. Bloom sighed, she didn't want to ask but she felt that it was something about the House-elves. So by being a good friend she decided to ask Hermione what was wrong, "I swear people can be so stupid! They haven't left me alone all week!"

Now Bloom was confused, what was she talking about? "Um – Hermione, what are you talking about?"

"_Those – those – those fan girls_! They won't leave me alone because I was picked as the thing Viktor would miss the most!" even though she said it filled with anger, Hermione still blushed with pleasure.

Bloom giggled. "Why don't you just hex them and get it over with?"

"Bloom! I can't do that!"

"Sure you can. All you do is wave your wave and say the spell. And here I thought you were so smart."

Hermione glared at her, "You're a cheeky like thing, aren't you?"

Bloom batted her eyes innocently; "Of course!"

Hermione than gave a sly smile; a smile that would make Bloom regret teasing her. "I heard that you're going to Hogsmead with Aberam."

Bloom froze and her face began to light up like a light bulb. "Wha – what are you talking about?" Bloom felt her face redden under Hermione's stare and the current smile on her face getting bigger and bigger. "What have you heard?" Bloom asked.

"Oh nothing, I just overheard when Abe asked you out."

Bloom thought she was frozen before but, no. _Now_ she was totally frozen. She couldn't even move to look back at Hermione, even her breath was gone. She felt her lips tremble as she tried to form words. When Abe had asked her, it was when they had – when they had kissed. Finally, Bloom was able to look at Hermione; silently asking her how exactly had she heard that.

Hermione gave her a sly smile. "It was during the Yule Ball, I went to the loo to get some space from Ron. I might had ended up in the same corridor that you and Abe were and saw you two –"

"Stop!" Bloom covered Hermione's mouth. "Please, please… don't tell anyone one. I haven't even told Ginny and Luna."

"Muaumm"

"What?"

Hermione pulled Bloom's hand off her. "I wanted to say; why haven't you? This is kind of big."

Bloom bit her lip. "You see, I'm new at this and well… I don't really know what to do. It's not like I can ask Sirius or Remus and there was no way I was going to ask Harry." Bloom sighed. "I'm kind of nervous since I'm going with him in just a few hours…"

Before Hermione could say anything, there was a loud boom sound behind them. Everyone jumped and turned to the location of the sound; the Slytherin table. Out of nowhere Malfoy started to sing "The Weird Sisters song; This Is The Night" and that wasn't even the best part! He was singing it to Pansy; she seemed to be enjoying it. But, Malfoy was so red he looked ready to pass out. Many people were laughing at Malfoy as his high pitched voice filled the room.

Bloom would have stayed longer to enjoy the show but Hermione had grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the noise. Hermione didn't stop until they arrive at the Gryffindor common room. Hermione quickly pushed her up the stairs and into Bloom's dorm room. "Okay, now we can talk."

"About what?"

"Oh, wait… we should wait for Ginny and Luna, they'll be here soon!"

"When did you?"

"During the prank."

.

~.~

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After two hours or maybe even three, Bloom was ready for her – dare she say or think it – date with Abe. She wasn't sure if she should run away or cry. This was Abe for crying out loud! She should feel this way at all… but she did and it wouldn't go away. The girls had helped her get ready. She was wearing white jeans, a pink blouse and a light brown coat over it. Luna let her borrow her white beanie, scarf and gloves. Ginny let her borrow a pair of black ankle boots. Hermione put Bloom's hair in a ponytail and let her bangs frame her face; she also applied a bit of makeup. "One last thing…" Hermione said as she dug into her trunk. After a few minutes, she pulled out a small silver bag. "Use this; put your wand and some money in it, just in case."

"I don't think I can do this."

"Bloom, just breathe."

"You'll be fine…"

"Breathe Bloom breathe."

"Bloom, Abe is waiting for you downstairs already."

Bloom made a sound between a gasp and a choke. She looked around for a brown paper bag; she had completely forgotten that she wasn't at a muggle school. She started to freak out when Hermione gave her a piece of chocolate. "You'll be fine, Bloom." Hermione said. "Just think of it as a get to together."

Bloom finally relaxed and went down the steps, one by one.

She pecked when she was on the last turn. She saw Abe standing at the end of the steps; "I can do this, besides it's just Abe… it's just Abe." She let out a long sigh and stepped out of her haven and into the lion's den – quite literally. Bloom blushed when his jaw dropped a bit – but she took it as a good thing. "Sorry I'm a bit late; the girls won't let me go until I was… well prepared."

Abe nodded. "Let's go before Harry finds out, I bet you didn't tell him. Am I right?"

Bloom grinned, "It's not like I wanted my brother to become a murderer, thank you very much." They began walking side by side; not to fat apart but not touching either, it seems that both of them were nervous about this date thing.

"Oh, so you care for Harry becoming a murderer but not me getting killed? Oh I feel the love Bloom." Abe joked around.

Bloom rolled her eyes. "Come on, we better get there before Harry or anyone else finds out about… uhh us."

Both of them seemed to blush at her sentence, it used to be so normal to be next to each other but now, it seems like they were both trying not to mess up too badly. "Let's race over there."

"But you have longer legs." Bloom pouted.

"So? It's not that really – _Hey_!"

Bloom had run off while he was talking, so she cheated a little. She didn't see the problem in it, besides he was a lot taller than her and faster – she needed a head start to be able to even keep up with him. She laughed when she heard him cry out "Cheater!" but she didn't stop, they were running beside each other now. She tried to push him with her shoulder but he would only fall back for a second before catching up to her. She realized that he didn't – not once – try to push her back, she smiled. It was sweet that he didn't want to hurt her, but it didn't mean he didn't want to win. He would try to run into front of her but she would grab his hood and pull him back. They both stopped for a second to catch their breath, Bloom sneakily grabbed a hand full of mud, just when Abe started to run again. She chased him and threw the mud.

She hit him right on the back of his neck.

She laughed when he stopped running to rub his neck and continued to run. "That's not fair Bloom!"

"You never said we had any rules!"

Bloom had managed to win the race but Abe snuck behind her and wrapped his arms around her, then spun her around until he was dizzy.

"Did you hear what happened to Malfoy?" Abe asked as they walked around Hogsmeade. They were going through all the shops that they liked and played around with the local children; hiding – n – seek was a fun again but it was even better with magic. Bloom made sure they didn't get anywhere near Sirius and Remus's hotel – that would not be a fun afternoon.

"No, what happened?"

"He went to the hospital wing because he was feeling some kind of pain in his stomach." Abe explained. Bloom smirked, she knew what was that pain and that prat had it coming for a long time now. "He couldn't stand upright and he could barely walk right, I saw his bodyguards half carry him." Bloom laughed. "Why do I get the feeling…" Abe tapped his chin, "That you had something to do with it?"

"Me?" Bloom batted her eyes and placed a hand over her heart, "How could I – an innocent little girl – ever pull a prank on big bad Mr. Malfoy?"

Abe laughed at her. "Innocent? You're the girl that helps the Weasley Twins with their pranks; anyone with their taste cannot be innocent."

"Well… it can't be helped. It's in my blood."

They walked into a book store – Abe knew she loved to read. This was as a good of a start as any.

.

~.~

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Bloom dropped gently on her bed, she let out a sigh and then smiled. She had fun, it was her very first date and it had been – well not perfect but, it was great nonetheless. Most of their time, Bloom and Abe had to hide from Harry's sight whenever they saw him nearby. Thank God, Hermione was on her side and helped warned her whenever they got too close. Bloom also saw Ginny and Luna walking around, Luna waved at her but Ginny winked at her.

In the middle of the date, Bloom had realized that Abe had – very sneakily – got a hold of her hand and entwined their fingers. She didn't notice at first until she had looked down.

They had even kissed a few times too.

The first time was when they were running from Harry, they had seen him and bolted out of there as soon as they could and, they hid in a same ally. At first they thought, they were safe until they had heard Harry's voice pretty close by. Bloom gasped loudly; thinking they were caught, especially now if he had heard her gasp. But, before Bloom finished the gasp sound, Abe had planted his lips on hers. Bloom would have screamed but she was too shocked by the kiss to really do anything… but kiss back, of course.

There was a peck sound when they broke apart. They only broke apart when they believed that Harry had left.

When they had broken apart, Abe looked scared of what she would do to him – for kissing her like that. He was surprised when she gave him a small smile and a small peck on his lips.

Throughout their date, each one of them sneaked small kisses on each other – either on the cheek or lips. They had made it into some kind of game.

She changed out of her clothes and changed into comfortable clothes to move around with.

Not a moment later, Hermione came in with Luna and Ginny right behind her. "How was it?" they kept asking over and over again. Bloom let them babble on and on until they finally relaxed. Bloom told them whatever she could about her date with Abe; Ginny and Luna smiled at her while trying not to laugh when Bloom had told them about playing hide and seek with Harry – without Harry knowing. Hermione smiled; she told them that it was hard to distract Harry because he had _sensed_ Bloom and started walking towards them, without knowing that she was really there.

For just a day, Bloom Lily Potter was a normal teenager.

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~.~

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Severus Snape saw when Bloom had left with Redfern. At first he thought they were just talking, but when he saw them avoiding each other's eyes he knew; Bloom was going out with the boy for the first time. He knew it would happen sooner or later but why did he have to run into them when it happened? He had wanted to avoid that – it bought back too many unwanted memories of Lily and _Potter_.

He looked through his window in his office as they set off. He saw that Bloom – out of nowhere – began to run away. At first he thought that the little idiot had said something to get her upset. If he had, Severus was going to be crueler to him than anyone else. He watched as he ran after her – then he figured it out. They were racing – he grinned when he knew why she ran off, she wanted to win. They ran side by side until Bloom started to fall back. He saw as Redfern slowed down to keep at pace with her. He almost laughed when he saw Bloom throw mud at Redfern's face. It seemed that Bloom got more than her mother's looks; her determination to win.

His eyes followed them until they were out of his sight.

"She looks a lot like Lily, doesn't she?"

He stopped himself from jumping. He turned his head slightly to see Aurora standing a few feet away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about." He didn't want to talk about this with her; she knew a lot of things about him. For a short period, she was his friend… no one knew this but, he had seen when she was taken away. He had seen her run through the grounds – he had been reading a book when he heard her cries. When he had looked up, she was a god fifty yards from him and he saw people after her. He chased after them; he had wondered why the Headmaster wasn't doing anything, for he should have known.

He now knew what the Headmaster was doing; he had been trying to stop the other twenty that were in his office. He wanted to know why there were so many wizards after one girl… what exactly was she…

Severus saw when they had trapped her in some sort of barrier… he saw Potter and his gang and… Lily… trying to free her from the enemy… even he shot spells at the barrier from his hiding place. If Potter's gang had seen him, they would think he was trying to stop them instead of thinking that he was trying to help save Aurora. Aurora who had become his friend, even though Potter and his gang hated him, even though he was strange… she even had gotten in a fight with the Mutt over him. She stood by his side when the Mutt had tried anything… she was the only one that could control that monster.

Aurora was like Lily in many ways… for that, he accepted friendship from her.

"Don't be such a child…" Aurora said as she looked out the window. "You know exactly what I'm talking about; she's nearly the spitting image of Lily. Expect for her eyes… but they are greener than what James had." Severus groaned. "I'm still shocked that Lily and James married, I mean I knew it was coming… but, I wanted to be there. James and Lily Potter… it fits."

"No, it doesn't."

Aurora looked at him sadly; "You still think of her as Evans, don't you." He didn't answer but, Aurora knew he had pretty much answered with his silences. "Sev, I know it hurts but… Lily Evans stopped existing the moment she fell in love with James… she came into the world as Evans but… left it as Potter. You should call her by her name, its disrespect to the dead if you call them nothing else, you know."

"You didn't know her as Potter!"

Aurora sighed. "In a way I did… I knew she was going to become Lily Potter soon. I never really thought of her as Evans when I met her… it was before they had gotten together and yet I knew… I knew she would marry James. I could see it in her eyes… I'm sure you remember her eyes Sev… her son – Lily and James Potter's son stares at you with those same eyes but instead of them filled with sadness… they stare at you with hate…" Aurora glared at him a bit. "Harry as done nothing wrong Sev… You are torturing a poor boy because of the past – a past he had no control over. He already has had a hard life. You can remember Lily and James but he and his sister can't… why must you make it harder on him. I have noticed that you adore Bloom, not that I blame you; she's a sweet girl, with her mother's looks and brains but with James's ability to cause trouble."

After a long silence, Severus spoke. "I want to hate her." Aurora didn't say anything, just waited for him to finish. "Every part of me… tells me to hate her, to crush her. But, I can't. I tried and tried but the little midget wiggled under my skin. I see her and I see… I see Lily but with Potter's eyes… taunting me. And Potter… his father's disgusting face with her eyes – her eyes! The thing I loved the most in the world were those eyes. I see those wonderful eyes filled with hatred every time they look at me… I get so mad… all I want is for her to look at me again…"

Aurora stayed with him; she didn't talk unless she had too. She let him speak and she didn't stop him. Over a decade of thoughts and pain came out of Severus. Aurora stood by his side and didn't move. She cared for him… when she met him, he had seemed very lost in the world, and he looked ready to give up on everything. It took time but she was able to help him little by little. She saw him like a cross between a little brother and a son. He needed someone's hand to hold, he needed to feel loved. He had told her about his mother and the monster that was supposed to be his father but, that was not what that monster was. He was evil, sick and a sorry excuse for a human. In fact, those were her very words when he had told her. She had hugged him long and hard… she wanted to let him know that not everyone hated him and in time… maybe, just maybe Lily would forgive him.

She remembered when she had kissed his forehead for the first time – it was a gesture used in her home land… it meant you were loved, that you were needed and safe with them. She smiled at the memory. He had blushed so much; she feared he would pass out. She explained what the small kiss meant to him, he was still blushing but not as much. He looked like a small child afraid of asking for another and yet he had a small goofy grin.

As she began to get up to leave, he was going to walk her out but she stopped him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he sat and kissed his forehead. She smiled at him and left. The kiss was a reminder of what she had told him many years ago.

He was loved and forever will be.

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~.~

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"Harry! Harry! I just found out, are you alright?" Bloom asked as she checked him over. A few days had passed uneventful; something Bloom loved dearly. When Professor Snape called her out and took her to his office. He explained that Harry had found Mr. Crouch with Krum and had been attacked. Bloom glared and pouted at the mention of Crouch but when she heard 'Harry' and 'attacked' she ran to the Headmaster's office.

"I'm fine Bloom."

Sirius, Remus and Professor Dumbledore were in the office talking about recent events. They were given rules, they were not allowed outside of Hogwarts unless there was an adult with them. They couldn't answer any mail that wasn't from someone they knew and they weren't allowed out after dark. They walked out as a family. Bloom relaxed and then Sirius had to open his big mouth. "So Bloom, what's this I hear; you had a date the last Hogsmead trip and you didn't tell us."

It's safe to say Bloom ran out of there like her life depended on it… it kind of did.

* * *

**Sorry if it's badly written… I'm still recovering and I did try my best… I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review… Thank You**

**Please thank my Beta Mira SSBS… let me know what you think.**


	59. Magical Souls

**Sorry this chapter is late, my term has started again. Good news, it's only until July 3****rd****. Though I have to do a lot of work to make sure I am ahead of schedule, I really hate math. I'm good at it but, I have never liked it. I got new medication last week; it works better than my last ones. I think it's because it's in smaller doses. The other medicine would get me sick; like, I would throw up every few minutes after taking it, this new one doesn't get me tired and I'm more awake now. I used to be so tired all the time and it was very annoying. But now I feel **_**normal**_**, though I am eating more than I used too. I think this is how I should be eating but didn't get the change too. I used to want to throw up at the smell and sight of some foods, but now I can eat it without displeasure. **

**Does anyone understand the Hindu-Arabic numeral system? I'm looking for a chart but I can't find one. Can anyone help me?**

**I promised myself that I would have this chapter done by *cough* last night but… I didn't even start! I'm sorry! My friend sent me a link to "Rooftop Prince" with Micky Yoochun and I couldn't stop watching it! I just love Tvxq! I'm sad that they're **_**broken up **_**in some way… I miss them. To know the whole story, you're going to have to Google it; Tvxq Lawsuit story. If they were to get back together and get the whole lawsuit over with, I think I would live happily. Notice I said **_**live**_**, I am no way of planning on giving up! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter… sadly.**

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Magical Souls

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Bloom looked around her table, trying to find the unicorn hair she needed for her potion. On her first date with Abe, he had taken her to a small bookstore. She found a potions book and began to look at what kind it had. One very complex potion caught her eye; Soul mate. This potion would tell you if someone was your soul mate or not. She didn't want to do it on her; where would the fun and surprise be. No, she wanted to do it on her parents. If it turned out that they weren't soul mates, well that would crush her. But, if it said they were… well then she would cheer and laugh. But how could they not be soul mates? They had truly loved each other, willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. If that wasn't love, well… what was?

She had been working on the potion for nearly a week now, she just had to add a few more things. She had made a copy of her parents' pictures, two in fact. One with just her father and one with just her mother, the book said that she had to place a drop on the pictures a two stone would appear with different craving. It the craving fit together then they were soul mates.

She had first started in her dorm, but when she needed more room, she had moved it in one of the unused classrooms. But now that she was so close in finishing it, she took it to the potion classroom, just in case she needed anything. A few more minutes, just a few more stirs and it would be done.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't need to look up to tell who it was. "Well, I'm in the potion classroom, working currently on a potion… mm… what am I doing?" She felt him glare at her head but, she didn't look up. She couldn't mess up on this now. Now that she was so close to finding out if her parents were soul mates or not.

"Don't cheek me Bloom. I just might take off points."

"Sorry Professor but, I really need to focus on this right now… and done!"

"What are you making?"

Bloom didn't answer him, she place the photos in front of her; her father on the right and her mother on the left. She picked up a small dropper and took some of the potion. She exhaled deeply as she placed her hand over the pictures. She dropped one drop on her father's picture first and then her mother's. Bloom covered her eyes when the photos began to glow bright white. When she looked down, the pictures were gone and replaced with two half crystal stones that glowed like the full moon. This was it…

"Bloom?" Professor Snape said shakily. "What did you do?"

"I made the soul mate potion." Bloom answered. "I wanted to do it on my parents… just so I could get more information on them."

"Couldn't you have just asked the Mutt?" he asked weakly. Severus did not want to be here, no. He should have just stayed in bed if he had known… this potion was one he wanted to do since he first heard of it – it might sound like a very girly thing to do but, he wanted to know if he and Lily had a chance… and now, Bloom was doing it in front of him. He wanted to know that Lily and Potter weren't mean to be… that he and Lily would… he watched as Bloom picked up the half crystal stones.

Bloom took a deep breath and slowly put the stones closer together, she closed her eyes when the stones touched. There was a white light again but this time, it faded to gold. She had to turn away from the light, even with her eyes close; she could still see the color of the light. When the light finally stopped she looked back at the stones. They had bind together, like they were just one stone. Bloom tried to pull them apart but, it won't. She hit it with the table, even tried to cut it with her knife; it didn't even leave a mark. She eyed the stone closely, and then she saw it. Inside were the pictures she and used but, this time they were merged together, like it was one picture.

Her mother and father were holding hands and smiling at one another. Bloom blushed when she saw them kiss… she looked up and smiled. Her parents really were soul mates, she knew it! Her parents had found their other halves and it was… unbelievable. She knew that people barely found their soul mates and to know that her parents were soul mates was incredible. Were parents were truly amazing. She jumped up and down and cheered. She felt like she was on cloud nine. Just wait until Harry finds out about this!

"You did a good job." Professor Snape said. "You made a six year potion without any help… forty points to Gryffindor."

Bloom smiled at him and then hugged him. "I didn't do it for points… I just wanted to know more about my parents…" she hugged him tightly, she felt like her arms were going to fall off. "And now I know more about them. They were soul mates and still are! Oh Professor I can't believe it, I mean I _can_ but, to have proof it's just so… so amazing. Oh, I have to tell Harry! I'll see you in class!"

Bloom ran out with the stone in her hand, she kept it near her chest; not wanting to let it go for even a moment. She passed people as she ran, some even shout to her to slow down or to ask her what was wrong but, she kept smiling and running to the Gryffindor Tower. She saw The Fat Lady become she could reach her, "Toad and Trouble, Toad and Trouble!" The Fat Lady opened the door by the time Bloom was within three feet of it. She ran inside and looked around for Harry.

Harry was sitting by the fire and just staring at it. "Harry! Harry!"

Harry jumped at the sound of her, "What is it? Are you hurt?" he glanced at her quickly.

"I'm fine… Oh Harry, you won't believe it! It's so amazing and so – _Oh Harry!_" she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly as small tears ran down her face. He stumbled back but kept them both up. Bloom could hear Ron and Hermione asking her something but she didn't answer. Ginny was sitting next to them – Luna was currently in her own common room – they all looked at each other and then at Bloom.

"Follow me, please hurry!" Bloom pulled Harry by the hand, up to his dorm room. She ignored his cry to slow down, she ran up faster each time he said anything. She threw the door open, thanking her lucky stars that no one was inside. She pulled Harry in, as the others tried to keep up with her. She pulled out and stone and careful handed it to Harry. "Be careful."

Harry gave her a confused look before looking at the stone.

"What is it?" Ron asked as he panted. "It looks just like a regular stone."

Hermione and Ginny both opened their mouths to say something but they didn't get the chance because Harry gasped. "Is that – are they – Bloom?" he gaped at her like a fish out of water. Bloom smiled. Ron looked over Harry's shoulder to look at the stone as Hermione and Ginny did the same on the other side. "How did you –"

Hermione gasped. "Bloom, how did you make this? It's supposed to be a never complex potion. And – and they fit together. That's unbelievable."

"When I went on my date with Abe." Harry groaned at the reminder. "We went to a small bookstore and I saw a book, I was looking through it when I saw that potion. I never knew my parents, so I wanted to know more. I wanted to know if they were soul mates or not. I know I could have been broken hearted at it if they didn't fit together but, they really loved each other; for they had willing sacrificed themselves for the other and for Harry and me. I just finished it and I tried it on them… and they fit. _They fit!_"

Harry stared at her with a mouth that was slightly open. "So, you're saying that our parents were – were."

"Soul mates, Harry." Bloom answered. "They're other half, that one other that is meant for you and you alone." Harry continued to stare at her; he seemed to be trying to realize what it meant. "Harry, there's only one person out in the world that is your prefect match. Not everyone finds them. The potion can only be used if a man and woman are already in love with each other, and I don't mean that teenage romance, I mean true love… that's why many people don't actually do the potion, it's a very old one too. Most people don't know about it anymore."

"So our parents really did love each other… they were meant to get together."

"Yes."

Harry covered his eyes with his right hand; everyone could see him smile, while his left hand tighten its hold on the stone. Bloom knew that under his right hand, his eyes were filled with happy tears.

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~.~

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Harry had begun his training for the last task, Bloom and Hermione looked up as many spells as they could. Ginny had promised to teach Harry her favorite curse; Bat-Bogey Hex. Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Curse, a spell to slow down and obstruct attackers; the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way; and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermione's that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. But Harry was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter jinx.

Bloom had the feeling that Hermione did know the counter jinx but just wanted to watch him wobble around.

Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task.

Bloom sat near Harry, she looked really pale and looked like she didn't sleep all right. But, who could blame her? Which task got more and more dangerous; Bloom felt like she was going to lose whatever food she could get in her stomach. Abe wanted to sit near her, to help her but Harry was basically throwing daggers at him. Bloom gave him a small smile and turned back to whisper at Harry.

A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.

"Hermione?" Bloom asked in wonder.

"What?" said Harry and Ron together, staring at Hermione.

"Nothing," said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it. He stared at the headline and said, "No way. Not today. That Old Cow."

At the word 'cow' Bloom glared at the newspaper. That Cow must have done something; Bloom was getting really sick of her. If only she could figure out how she got so much information on them. It had to be something with Transfiguration, she just knew it. It was her best class when she went to Hogwarts, like fifty years ago.

"What?" said Harry, "Rita Skeeter again?"

"No," said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight.

"It's about me, isn't it?" said Harry.

"No," said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table.

"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?"

Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction.

"Let me see it," Harry said to Ron. "Give it here."

Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and Bloom got closer to him to see what the article was about; Harry's picture was on the cover, beneath the banner headline:

'HARRY POTTER DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS'

"That cow is going to pay for this!" Bloom hissed.

_The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent._

_Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behaviour, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School._

_Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying._

_It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion._

_"He might even be pretending," said one specialist._

"What specialist?" Bloom demanded. "How many specialists do you know who specialize in the after-effects of Avada Kedavra? Harry and I are the only ones that have ever survived it, so how can there be a specialist? That damn Cow is going to get what's coming to her!"

_"This could be a plea for attention."_

_The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public._

_"Potter can speak Parseltongue," reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth year._

_"There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too._

Harry and Bloom looked ready to kill Malfoy.

_We think he'd do anything for a bit of power."_

_Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue "as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evildoers."_

_Similarly, "anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence."_

_Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening._

_"Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?" said Harry lightly, folding up the paper._

Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at him, tapping their heads with their fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes. Bloom snapped. "You're just jealous because he can talk to snakes and you can't. Some Slytherin you are!"

Malfoy turned pink. "Jealous? Why would I be jealous of a parentless prat?"

Bloom officially snapped. She pulled out her wand and casted the Bat-bogey cast, the force on it was so strong it knocked Malfoy off his seat. His cries as the bats attacked him were heard throughout the room. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be trying to punch the bats away but didn't want to touch them. Everyone else was laughing at Malfoy's misery, and no one helped Malfoy, knowing that whoever helped him would get the same curse on them.

Ron smiled. "I just love it when people hurt that git, it makes me so happy. But, how did she know your scar hurt in Divination? There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -"

"The window was open," said Harry. "I opened it to breathe."

"You were at the top of North Tower!" Hermione said. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!"

"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" said Harry. You tell me how she did it!"

"I've been trying!" said Hermione. "But I… but…"

An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair. That's when Bloom understood as well; bugging! Magical bugging!

Bloom gasped as they shared a look. "Are you all right?" said Ron, frowning at them.

"Yes," said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. "I've had an idea," Hermione said, gazing into space. "I think I know… because then no one would be able to see… even Moody… and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge… but she's not allowed… she's definitely not allowed…Bloom is think that same thing, aren't you?" Bloom nodded her head in a daze. "I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library - just to make sure!"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Bloom asked as a smile came across her face. How could she not think of that sooner? She must be an animagus. She should have talked to Sirius and Remus; oh, that cow was in for it now!

"No… I'll be back soon!" With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall.

"Oi!" Ron called after her. "We've got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey," he said, turning back to Harry, "she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What're you going to do in Binns's class – read again?"

But Harry didn't answer; he turned to look at Bloom. "What did you two figure out?"

"Oh it's great Harry." Bloom smiled as she got up. "We got her if her name isn't on that list… oh; I'm going to enjoy getting her fired!" Bloom shot up from her seat and grabbed her things. "I'll see you later; I have an exam in five minutes." but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward them.

"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast," she said.

Bloom's face paled, as did Harry's. "But the task's not till tonight!" said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front.

"I'm aware of that, Potter," she said. "The champions' families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them, just means... Miss Potter, you are excused from the exams as well." She moved away. Bloom gaped at her and then shouted out, "Yes!" her arms raised in the air in cheer but then they slumped down, "Does this mean I studied for nothing?"

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Bloom went to drop off her things in her room before joining Harry. She wondered who would be waiting for them. Of course, Remus and Sirius would be there and maybe Aurora too. She skipped back to the Great Hall and walked towards the side chamber. She stopped when she heard that very annoying voice; the person whose voice that belong to was going to get hit very soon.

"Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's caught you up on points, are you?" said Amos Diggory. Bloom saw Harry, Remus, and Sirius plus Mrs. Weasley and Bill standing in front of Amos Diggory. Bloom swallowed a growl.

"What?" said Harry

Ignore him," said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. "He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament – you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion."

"Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?" said Amos Diggory,"Still… you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?"

"Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos!" Mrs. Weasley said angrily. "I would have thought you'd know that, working at the Ministry!"

Remus and Sirius looked ready to curse him but only spotted when they noticed that Bloom was standing behind Mr. Diggory. Remus became calm again while Sirius let out a grin.

Mr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, "If you want to keep your mouth like it is." Bloom said in a cold tone, causing Mr. Diggory to turn around fast; his eyes widen. "I would shut up if I were you or I could burn it off myself." Bloom felt her eyes become slits.

Mr. Diggory took a step back, his wife laid a hand on his arm, and he merely shrugged and turned away.

Bloom glared at him until he was out of view. Bill and Sirius began to laugh, "It's funny to watch grown men get scared of you, Bloom." Bill said, "I thought he was going to wet himself, for a moment there."

Bloom had a nice time walking around with her family. Sure; they weren't blood but nevertheless, they had treated her and Harry better than her _family _ever did. She just hated the thought of having to go back to the Dursleys for four weeks in the summer. Sirius and Remus were trying to talk her out of dating Abe, well more like trying to not date anyone at all. Bill smiled was Harry groaned at the thought of Bloom dating, Harry glared at Bill and said; "Just wait until Ginny starts dating." Bill stopped laughing and paled a bit. Bloom rolled her eyes; the only person on her side was Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley was shut them up by saying that Bloom was a good girl and if they didn't let her date that would mean that they didn't trust her and in return Bloom wouldn't trust them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."

Bloom groaned along with Sirius and Remus. They all hugged him and wished him luck. Everyone began to walk towards the Quidditch field… every seat was filled up, it seemed that no one was going to miss the end of this. Bloom sat between Remus and Sirius, she fidgeted with the small stone; the one she made for her parents. It calmed her somehow, like they were both there with her and helping Harry survive the third and final task.

She looked up to look at the field. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.

Bagman appeared and pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky.

"In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Bloom and the others were able to see Harry now; they made eye contact with him and waved at him. Sirius was shouting; "You can do it Prongslet! Show them how we do this Marauder style!" Remus elbowed him in the gut. Bloom heard a laugh and saw that Aurora was heading towards them.

"May I join you? The teacher's section is quick – boring."

Sirius stood up and bowled like he was some sort of gentleman, "Well of course, my fair lady." Aurora rolled her eyes and sat between Sirius and Mrs. Weasley. Aurora and Mrs. Weasley made some small talk as they introduced each other to the other.

"So… on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.

When Harry was out of her sight, Bloom groaned. She was feeling so jumping, she wanted to run out there and find him. There was a second whistle and Krum ran in as well, soon Fleur joined them as well.

There were many moments of silences and then screams and blasts, Bloom felt ready to cry… she tried to find Harry but it was impossible to see anything due to the fog. She looked down at the stone in her hands and said a silent pray; Mom, Dad… please protect Harry, he needs you so much right now. Please protect him now, just like you have since we've been born. It felt like hours had passed. Bloom jumped at the sight of red sparks… she grabbed onto both Remus and Sirius, waiting for someone to bring one of the champions out. First came out Fleur and then Krum… it was just Cedric and Harry now. Bloom jumped at the sound of a blast, causing her stone to fall down the benchers. "Oh no, I'll be right back. I dropped something."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Remus asked

"I'll be fine, I'll be back soon."

"Be careful."

Bloom ran down the steps until she was at the very bottom, she ducked under the benchers and began to search for her stone, there were many things down there; candy wrappers, parchment, some shoe and even a broken broom. She arrived under her seat and began to search carefully, her seat was high up so it must have landed around that spot. She pulled out her wand and cried out, Lumos. Her wand began to glow in the darkness; she finally found the stone when the light bounced off it. She picked it up and put her wand back in her pocket. She was about to turn back when someone grabbed her from behind. They covered her mouth and wrapped their arm around her as she struggled to get loose.

Then she was spinning and she knew that whoever was her attacker had apparated and was taking her with him.

* * *

**I'm going to stop right here for now. My back is killing me, sorry it's a bit late… what can I say? I got into Family Outing and Rooftop Prince and I was going out with my friends this week. I do have a life… it took me a couple of hours to finish this and I hope you like it.**

**Please thank my beta Mira SSBS**

**_This is Mira... Say good luck to me because i have finals this week._  
**


	60. The UnThinkable

**I'm writing this on Sunday, well part of it, not the whole thing. I don't want to get nagged again by someone *cough* mother! I know I have mentioned this but I'll mention it again; I Hate Math! Evil subject, just plain evil! My dad is watching the soccer game thingy, I'm trying to block out his shouting and yelling. **

**I don't know how long this chapter will be, maybe 14 pages or less. I'm moving things around my room and its hard work. My sister decided that the green side was hers and the purple side is mine. **

**I went to see Howl's Moving Castle at the old theater place; I love that movie! It's great! If only there were more guys like Howl in the world, well not when he's a coward, when he's so happy and cheerful and oh so caring! I have the worst luck with guys, I always get the jerks and some are like twice my age! Why can't I met a nice guy, the other day I was at Pizza Hut (place I call my haven) and there was a very cute guy, but my sister scared him off! Why must she do that? Every time a cute guy comes up to me, she takes me away or scares him off! I'm never going to get married at this rate!**

**Okay, okay I finished. **

**Disclaimer; Harry Potter doesn't belong to me.**

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**THE UNTHINKABLE**

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Bloom gasped when her attacker pushed her to the ground; she landed on all fours. She heard him apparate again, she looked up and saw that she was in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to her right. A hill rose above them to her left. Bloom could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside. Bloom had the feeling that she was being watched. Before she could get her wand out, she heard someone cry something out. She was pushed into the marble headstone. Bloom saw the name upon it flickering in the moonlight before she was forced around and slammed against it.

TOM RIDDLE

No, this couldn't be happening. Bloom was suddenly gagged; she didn't see anyone so whoever it was must have used his wand. She looked around for some help or something that could tell her where she was. But she was alone. No one would know she was missing until it was too late. Why? Why haven't she accept Remus's help? Don't go off on your own, that was the rule she had to live by for the whole year and at the last moment – when it mattered the most – she broke it, and now, she was likely to never see her family and friends again.

She had to remain calm; she started to push the rag in her mouth out, bit by bit. She nearly choked on it several times but finally, she pushed it out when she heard a swirling sound; Harry and Cedric had appeared out of nowhere. "Harry, help me!"

Both Harry and Cedric jumped and turned to her; "Bloom." Harry gasped, "What are you – why are you here?"

"There's no time." Bloom started, she turned to Cedric. "Please Cedric; you have to go get help! Just go! And hurry!"

"But – I can help."

"No, you don't understand. Go, hurry and bring help. Go to that village and ask what it's called and get to Hogwarts, now Cedric!" Bloom saw someone walking towards them with a small bundle in his arms. "Go!"

"Kill the spare!"

The green light had barely missed Cedric. Cedric had seen the look in Bloom's eyes and left as soon as she shouted out the word 'Go.' Harry turned quickly to face the incoming person – the person didn't have a finger, Wormtail! But, Wormtail had already had his wand out; he flicked it and it made Harry slam on the headstone, right beside Bloom. Wormtail was now conjuring tight cords around Harry, tying him from neck to ankles to the headstone. And then he quickly gagged Harry.

Bloom looked down and saw a gigantic snake slithering through the grass, circling the headstone where they were tied. Bloom let out a whine, she couldn't stand snake since her first year. Wormtail's fast, wheezy breathing was growing louder again. It sounded as though he was forcing something heavy across the ground. Then he came back within Bloom's range of vision, and Bloom saw him pushing a stone cauldron to the foot of the grave. It was full of what seemed to be water - Bloom could hear it slopping around - and it was larger than any cauldron Bloom had ever used; a great stone belly large enough for a full-grown man to sit in. Whatever was going to happen, was not something Bloom wanted Harry or herself a part of.

The thing inside the bundle of robes on the ground was stirring more persistently, as though it was trying to free itself.

"We have to get out of here." Bloom whispered to Harry. Harry was looking around for something, Bloom tried to finger her wand but she was trapped onto the headstone too tightly, unlike Harry, she wasn't tied up. It was like she was glued to the headstone.

Now Wormtail was busying himself at the bottom of the cauldron with a wand.

Suddenly there were crackling flames beneath it. The large snake slithered away into the darkness. The liquid in the cauldron seemed to heat very fast. The surface began not only to bubble, but to send out fiery sparks, as though it were on fire.

Steam was thickening, blurring the outline of Wormtail tending the fire. The movements beneath the robes became more agitated. And Bloom heard the high, cold voice again.

"Hurry!"

Bloom felt Goosebumps all over her arms and legs. She knew that voice; it was the same voice that sometimes kept her up at night. Hestia! Help me, I need you!

_I am here Bloom. Use your fire to flow energy to your body… to your muscles. You can do it! It will give you strength! _

The whole surface of the water was alight with sparks now. It might have been encrusted with diamonds.

"It is ready Master."

"Now…" said the cold voice.

Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them; Bloom was so scared she couldn't even scream, beside her, she could hear Harry gasp even though there was a rag in his mouth. Both of them automatically began to struggle to get free. It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind - but worse, a hundred times worse. The thing Wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Bloom had never seen anything less like a child. Tears ran down Bloom's face as she tried to do what Hestia asked her to do but, it was nearly impossible.

It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and its face - no child alive ever had a face like that - flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes.

The thing seemed almost helpless; it raised its thin arms, put them around Wormtail's neck, and Wormtail lifted it. As he did so, his hood fell back, and Bloom saw the look of revulsion on Wormtail's weak, pale face in the firelight as he carried the creature to the rim of the cauldron. For one moment, Bloom saw the evil, flat face illuminated in the sparks dancing on the surface of the potion.

And then Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Bloom heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.

Wormtail was speaking. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits.

He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"

The surface of the grave at Harry and Bloom's feet cracked. Horrified, Bloom watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue.

"Wormtail." Bloom tried to shout. "You don't have to do this! Just let us go! Let it die! Please!"

And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak.

His voice broke into petrified sobs.

"Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master."

He stretched his right hand out in front of him - the hand with the missing finger.

Somehow, Harry had been able to get the rag out of his mouth; "Close your eyes Bloom!" he shouted. "Don't watch!" Bloom did what Harry ordered her to do, she knew what Wormtail was going to do, and she didn't want to see that. But she could not block the scream that pierced the night, which went through Bloom as though she had been stabbed with the dagger too. She heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron.

Bloom let out a sob as she was half bent forward, if she hadn't had the spell cast on her, she would be on the ground now. The potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Bloom's closed eyelids…

Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. And then, Bloom heard his gasping near her. She opened her eyes to see Wormtail in front of Harry; "Don't you dare touch him!" Bloom tried to push herself towards Harry, to block him from Wormtail.

"B-blood of the enemy… forcibly taken… you will… resurrect your foe."

"NO!"

She saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtail's remaining hand. She saw it point penetrate the crook of Harry's right arm, and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes. Wormtail, still panting with pain, fumbled in his pocket for a glass vial and held it to Harry's cut, so that a dribble of blood fell into it.

He staggered back to the cauldron with Harry's blood. He poured it inside.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Bloom shouted as she fought against the spell, she had to do something and do it soon.

The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron, then slumped sideways and lay on the ground, cradling the bleeding stump of his arm, gasping and sobbing.

The cauldron was simmering, sending its diamond sparks in all directions, so blindingly bright that it turned all else to velvety blackness. Nothing happened…

"Please drown, let it drown." Bloom sobbed.

And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished.

A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead, obliterating everything in front of Bloom and Harry, so that she couldn't see Wormtail or anything but vapor hanging in the air… But then, through the mist in front of them, she saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.

Bloom mouthed the word _No _over and over again, hoping – praying that this was all nightmare that she'll wake up from.

"Robe me," said the high, cold voice from behind the steam, and Wormtail, sobbing and moaning, still cradling his mutilated arm, scrambled to pick up the black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one-handed over his master's head.

The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at Harry and Bloom… and Bloom stared back into the face that had haunted her nightmares for three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snake's with slits for nostrils…

Lord Voldemort had risen again.

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~.~

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Voldemort looked away from Harry and Bloom and began examining his own body. His hands were like large, pale spiders; his long white fingers caressed his own chest, his arms, his face; the red eyes, whose pupils were slits, like a cats, gleamed still more brightly through the darkness.

Bloom whimpered.

He held up his hands and flexed the fingers, his expression rapt and exultant. He took not the slightest notice of Wormtail, who laid twitching and bleeding on the ground, nor of the great snake, which had slithered back into sight and was circling Harry again, hissing. Voldemort slipped one of those unnaturally long-fingered hands into a deep pocket and drew out a wand. He caressed it gently too; and then he raised it, and pointed it at Wormtail, who was lifted off the ground and thrown against the headstone where Harry was tied; he fell to the foot of it and lay there, crumpled up and crying.

Voldemort turned his scarlet eyes upon Harry and Bloom, laughing a high, cold, mirthless laugh.

Wormtail's robes were shining with blood now; he had wrapped the stump of his arm in them.

"My Lord…" he choked, "my Lord… you promised… you did promise…"

"Hold out your arm," said Voldemort lazily.

"Oh Master… thank you, Master…" He extended the bleeding stump, but Voldemort laughed again.

"The other arm, Wormtail."

"Master, please… please…"

Voldemort bent down and pulled out Wormtail's left arm he forced the sleeve of Wormtail's robes up past his elbow, and Bloom saw something upon the skin there, something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth – the image that had appeared in the sky at the Quidditch World Cup: the Dark Mark. Voldemort examined it carefully, ignoring Wormtail's uncontrollable weeping.

"It is back," he said softly, "they will all have noticed it… and now, we shall see… now we shall know…"

He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Wormtail's arm. Voldemort removed his fingers from Wormtail's mark, and Bloom saw that it had turned jet black. A look of cruel satisfaction on his face, Voldemort straightened up, threw back his head, and stared around at the dark graveyard.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" he whispered, his gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

He began to pace up and down before Harry – Bloom bite her lower lip until she tasted blood – and Wormtail, eyes sweeping the graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked down at Harry again, a cruel smile twisting his snakelike face. "You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "A Muggle and a fool… very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child… and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death…"

Voldemort laughed again. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he walked, and the snake continued to circle in the grass.

"You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she was… He didn't like magic, my father… "He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage… but I vowed to find him… I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name… Tom Riddle…"

"You're wrong." Bloom whispered loudly.

Voldemort tilted his head at her; "Excuse me?"

"I said you're wrong." Bloom ignored Harry's order to stay quiet. "My mother was no fool and she wasn't a muggle, she was a witch! And a very good one at that!"

Voldemort laughed. "Proud of your parents, aren't you?" he smiled at her, "You're parents were only a blood-traitor and mudblood. They had their chance to stay out of my way but, they didn't. They learned the hard way of what happens to the people that get in my way."

He paced, his red eyes darting from grave to grave.

"Listen to me, reliving family history…" he said quietly, "why, I am growing quite sentimental… But look, Harry, Bloom; my true family returns…"

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward… slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes. Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the hem of his black robes.

"Master… Master" he murmured.

The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle's grave, Harry, Bloom, Voldemort, and the sobbing and twitching heap that was Wormtail. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people.

Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years… thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"

He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening. "I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench of guilt upon the air." A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare to step back from him. "I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! And I ask myself… why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

No one spoke. No one moved except Wormtail, who was upon the ground, still sobbing over his bleeding arm.

"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment… "And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort… perhaps they now pays allegiance to another… perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.

"It is a disappointment to me… I confess myself disappointed…"

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Bloom was sure the sound must carry to the houses around… Let the police come… anyone… anything…

Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly.

"Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years… I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?"

He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob.

"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail, "please. Master… please…"

"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me… and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers…"

Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist. Wormtail's sobbing stopped abruptly. His breathing harsh and ragged, he raised his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand, now attached seamlessly to his arm, as though he were wearing a dazzling glove. He flexed the shining fingers, then, trembling, picked up a small twig on the ground and crushed it into powder.

"My Lord," he whispered. "Master… it is beautiful… thank you… thank you…"

He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.

"No, my Lord… never, my Lord…"

Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new hand, his face still shining with tears. Voldemort now approached the man on Wormtail's right.

"Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered, halting before him. "I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius… Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay… but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?"

"My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me -"

"And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer?" said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. "Yes, I know all about that, Lucius… You have disappointed me… I expect more faithful service in the future."

"Of course, my Lord, of course… You are merciful, thank you…" Voldemort moved on, and stopped, staring at the space - large enough for two people - that separated Malfoy and the next man.

"The Lestranges should stand here," said Voldemort quietly. "But they are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me… When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honored beyond their dreams. The dementors will join us… they are our natural allies… we will recall the banished giants…I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me, and an army of creatures whom all fear…"

He walked on. Some of the Death Eaters he passed in silence, but he paused before others and spoke to them.

"Macnair… destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic now, Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord Voldemort will provide…"

"Thank you, Master… thank you," murmured Macnair.

"And here" - Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures - "we have Crabbe… you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle?"

They bowed clumsily, muttering dully.

"Yes, Master…"

"We will, Master…"

"The same goes for you, Nott," said Voldemort quietly as he walked past a stooped figure in Mr. Goyle's shadow.

"My Lord, I prostrate myself before you, I am your most faithful -"

"That will do," said Voldemort.

He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there. "And here we have six missing Death Eaters… three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return… he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever… he will be killed, of course… and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service."

The Death Eaters stirred, and Bloom saw their eyes dart sideways at one another through their masks.

"He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here tonight… "Yes," said Voldemort, a grin curling his lipless mouth as the eyes of the circle flashed in Harry and Bloom's direction. "Harry and Bloom Potter have kindly joined us for my rebirthing party. One might go so far as to call him my guest of honor."

There was a silence. Then the Death Eater to the right of Wormtail stepped forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice spoke from under the mask.

"Master, we crave to know… we beg you to tell us… how you have achieved this… this miracle… how you managed to return to us…"

"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends – with my young friend here."

He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle were upon the two of them. The snake continued to circle.

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry. Tears ran down Bloom's face again… she couldn't do anything to stop Voldemort from hurting Harry, why must she be so weak?

"You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen… and surprisingly, Bloom was there with him… I sensed something from the girl but it was too weak to be counted as anything… but thanks to their mother's protection, I could not touch them."

Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek. "His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice… This is old magic, I should have remembered it, and I was foolish to overlook it… but no matter. I can touch him now. I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah… pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost…but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know… I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked… for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself… for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand… I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist… I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited… Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me… one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body… but I waited in vain…"

The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.

"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me. I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to perform magic… and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long… Then… four years ago… the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard - young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of… for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school… he was easy to bend to my will… he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted… thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter and his younger sister…"

Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the yew tree. The Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon Voldemort, and upon Harry and Bloom.

"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers… Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour… I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess… and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me…"

One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but Voldemort took no notice.

"And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at last… a servant returned to me. Wormtail here, who had faked his own death to escape justice, was driven out of hiding by those he had once counted friends, and decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumored I was hiding… helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way. Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats, do you not, Wormtail? His filthy little friends told him there was a place, deep in an Albanian forest, that they avoided, where small animals like themselves had met their deaths by a dark shadow that possessed them… "But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it, Wormtail? For, hungry one night, on the edge of the very forest where he had hoped to find me, he foolishly stopped at an inn for some food… and who should he meet there, but one Bertha Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic. Now see the way that fate favors Lord Voldemort. This might have been the end of Wormtail, and of my last hope for regeneration. But Wormtail - displaying a presence of mind I would never have expected from him – convinced Bertha Jorkins to accompany him on a nighttime stroll. He overpowered her… he brought her to me. And Bertha Jorkins, who might have ruined all, proved instead to be a gift beyond my wildest dreams… for – with a little persuasion – she became a veritable mine of information. She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only too willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things… but the means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, and when I had extracted all useful information from her, her mind and body were both damaged beyond repair. She had now served her purpose. I could not possess her. I disposed of her."

Voldemort smiled his terrible smile, his red eyes blank and pitiless.

"Wormtail's body, of course, was ill adapted for possession, as all assumed him dead, and would attract far too much attention if noticed. However, he was the able-bodied servant I needed, and, poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary, weak body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth… a spell or two of my own invention… a little help from my dear Nagini," Voldemort's red eyes fell upon the continually circling snake, a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini provided… I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to travel.

"There was no hope of stealing the Philosopher's Stone anymore, for I knew that Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower… I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength. I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them was already at hand, was it not, Wormtail? Flesh given by a servant… My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe… Wormtail would have had me use any wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who had hated me… as so many of them still do. But I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potter's blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago… for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too… But how to get at Harry Potter? And if I could not – well I would have gotten a hold of Bloom Potter… Then, of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup… I thought his protection might be weaker there, away from his relations and Dumbledore, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the midst of a horde of Ministry wizards. And then, the boy would return to Hogwarts, where he is under the crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night. So how could I take him? Why… by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name was entered into the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the tournament - that he touched the Triwizard Cup first – the cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is… the boy you all believed had been my downfall…"

Voldemort moved slowly forward and turned to face Harry. He raised his wand.

Bloom knew what he was going to do before anyone. She didn't know how she did it but, she had launched herself in front of Harry as Voldemort said the horrible curse. "Crucio!"

It was pain beyond anything Bloom had ever experienced; her very bones were on fire; every inch of her was burning was if someone was skinning her alive. She was still floating in midair; still blocking Harry from Voldemort's wand. She wanted it to stop, to pass out… to die if it meant to escape this pain. And then it was gone. She fell to the ground in front of the headstone of Voldemort's father, looking up into those bright red eyes through a kind of mist as she gasped for air. She was on her right side; half of her face was covered by her hair. She stared into those cold red eyes that seemed surprised at what she had done. Bloom could hear Harry shouting, asking her if she was okay… but, she couldn't use her voice just yet. Everything felt raw.

The night was ringing with the sound of the Death Eaters' laughter stopped when they saw Voldemort looking at her curiously. He bent down near her face, "Did that hurt? Young Bloom." He asked with a smile on his face. "You don't want me to do it again, do you? Or better yet, you don't want me to do it to Harry… such bravery." He brushed her hair away from her face.

"Don't touch her!" Harry shouted as he fought with the ropes tying him up. "Leave her alone! I'm the one you want, leave her out of this!"

"I will give him a chance. He will be allowed to fight." Voldemort said. "I will give him a chance to save himself and his sister… and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching.

"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand."

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**So it was a bit longer than I thought it would be… I just finished it on Monday, June 11, 2012… which means it won't be late! I'll try to do the next chapter tonight or tomorrow… whenever I feel like it is more like it … I have my midterm on the 18****th****, already! Aah! Okay, okay… I can do this! Please thank my beta; Mira SSBS**


	61. Prior Incantatem

**IMPORTANT NEWS!**

**I might go home people! Home! As in Los Angeles, California Home! But it's all up to my mom, if she gets better soon… I know it's a lot to ask but please pray for her please! If I do go, I'll write at least four in advance and give them to my beta. She'll update for me. Please, please pray for my mother's health. I know that if we go home, she'll get better. She hasn't seen her sisters in three years. I really want to go home… I will be driving from South Texas to California with my mother, sister, brother and grandmother. In a small car, man it's going to suck driving that for two days.**

**I know I'm asking a lot… I just want to go home. My younger cousins can't even remember who I am to them… they get scare of us whenever they see us on skype, it's a horrible thing to feel. I hope none of you will ever feel that. **

**Please God, let me go home.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

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**Prior Incantatem**

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Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying Harry to the gravestone. Harry dropped to the ground and automatically went to his sister. "Bloom, Bloom… are you alright?" he shook her gently as he half carried her off the ground. Bloom was limp in his arms, even though she was still awake.

Bloom was still trying to heal herself but sadly, it wasn't working. She was too exhausted from the curse… if she could, she would make Harry run away… to leave while he still had a chance but, she knew he would never leave her. For now, she had to get her strength back… before this got even worse for them.

"You have been taught how to duel Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness. They were surrounded; Bloom sat up and got to her knees with Harry's help. She was doing what Hestia told her to do; she imagined warm flames covering her… heal her, giving her strength to fight. For if she was to die; she would die like her parents… fighting.

"We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed… Dumbledore would like you to show manners… Bow to death, Harry…"

The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemorts lipless mouth was smiling. Harry did not bow. Bloom knew that he was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him… he was not going to give him that satisfaction… and neither would she.

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand – Harry bent like someone was pushing him ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.

"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted too. "And now you face me, like a man… straight-backed and proud, the way your father died…" Bloom felt a growl in her throat. "And now - we duel."

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, Voldemort sent the Cruciatus Curse at him. But this time, it had hit both of them. For Bloom, once again tried to protect Harry… it didn't matter if she died. The world needed her brother, not her, to save it… Harry was their only hope in defeating Voldemort… and she was going to everything in her power to protect her brother, to help him fulfill his density… even if she wasn't there to see it… she felt the pain again. White-hot knives were piercing every inch of her skin, her head was surely going to burst with pain, she was screaming more loudly than she'd ever screamed in her life – what made it worse, was that she could hear Harry's screams as well.

And then, it stopped.

"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause… That hurt, didn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you? But I must say; you have surprised me again Bloom. For you, yet again, have thrown yourself in front of my curse for your brother… such bravery… I asked you whether you want me to do that again, Harry." said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio"

This time, Bloom couldn't shield him… getting hit by the curse twice in such a short period had weakened her greatly. She prayed that Harry would have enough will… on his own. A part of her, wondered what was taking Cedric so long? It must have been hours…

"I WON'T!" Harry shouted.

Bloom smiled as those words burst from Harry's mouth; they echoed through the graveyard…

"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now.

"You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die… Perhaps another little dose of pain?"

With the reflexes that Harry had gotten from Quiditch, he grabbed Bloom and pulled her close to him. One arm around her shoulder as she put one arm around his waist; As Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort cried, "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light issued from Voldemorts wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's - they met in midair - and suddenly Harry's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to - and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold.

And then – nothing could have prepared them for this – they were lifted in to air. Harry and Bloom, and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, Harry and Voldemort's wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves… The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle around them, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them drawing their wands – The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries strangely muffled now…

"Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Bloom saw his red eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light still connecting his wand with Harry's; Harry held onto his wand more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. "Do nothing unless I command you!" Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters.

Bloom placed her hands on Harry's wand as well when Harry began to lose control; together they began to take control of the power.

And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air… It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound Bloom recognized, though he had heard it only once before in her life: phoenix song… she had heard it when she first meant Hestia. _You can do it, Bloom! Listen to the music… believe in the song!_

_Don't break the connection._

Bloom and Harry shared a look when they were heard the voice… they nodded once before turning their attention back to the wands and Voldemort.

As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Harrys wand tip, the wood beneath their fingers grew so hot Bloom feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead moved, the harder Harry's wand vibrated; she was sure Harry's wand would not survive contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under their fingers – Bloom and Harry concentrated every last particle of their mind upon forcing the bead back toward Voldemort… and slowly, very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to move the other way… and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard now… Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful…

One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemorts wand. Bloom didn't understand why they were doing, didn't know what it might achieve… but she now concentrated as she had never done in her life on forcing that bead of light right back into Voldemort s wand… and slowly… very slowly… it moved along the golden thread… it trembled for a moment… and then it connected…

At once, Voldemorts wand began to emit echoing screams of pain… then - Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock - a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip of it and vanished… the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail… more shouts of pain… and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemorts wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke… It was a head…

Bloom could hear the shouts of the Death Eaters below as an old man – one that Bloom had never seen before – was now pushing himself out of the end of the wand.

"He was a real wizard, then?" the old man said, his eyes on Voldemort. "Killed me, that one did… You fight him, kids…"

But already, yet another head was emerging… and this head, gray as a smoky statue, was a woman's… Bloom, both arms shaking now as she fought to keep her hands on Harry's wand, saw her drop to the ground and straighten up like the old man, staring…

The shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her with wide eyes.

"Don't let go, now!" she cried, and her voice echoed like the old man's as though from very far away. "Don't let him get you, Harry, Bloom – don't let go!"

Voldemort's dead victims whispered as they circled the duelers, whispered words of encouragement to Harry and Bloom, and hissed words Bloom couldn't hear to Voldemort. And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemorts wand… and Bloom knew when she saw it who it would be… she knew, as though she had expected it from the moment the old man explain that Voldemort had killed him… knew, because the man appearing was the one she'd thought of more than any other tonight…

The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had done, straightened up, and looked at them… and both Harry and Bloom were shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of their father; James Potter. For the first time in their life… they were seeing their father… Bloom began to cry; soft tears ran down her face as her whole body shook.

"Daddy…" Bloom whispered in disbelief and hope.

"Your mother's coming…" he said quietly, "She wants to see you… it will be all right… hold on…"

And she came… first her head, then her body… a young woman with long hair, the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to her children, looking down at them, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him, could not hear…

"Mum." Bloom's tears came faster now.

"When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments… but we will give you time… you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts… do you understand, Harry, Bloom?" their mother said.

"Yes," Harry gasped

"Mum… Dad, I – I …" her parents looked at her with kind but sad eyes as she choked on her words. "I miss you so much and… I – I love you."

Her parent's smiled. "We love you too, we always will." Her mother said.

Bloom nodded beside Harry, those were the words they had always wanted to hear… and to have heard them… filled Bloom with such strength, and she thought she could outrun anything, including Voldemort.

"Do it now," whispered his father's voice, "be ready to run… do it now…"

"NOW!" Harry yelled; he pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died - but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry and Bloom from his gaze – Harry pulled Bloom along as they ran; Bloom pulled out her wand and both of them began stunning Death Eaters that were trying to stop them.

They dodged curse and headstones as they ran closer to the Cup; Harry was too weak to summon it from afar… they had to get closer.

"Stun her! Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine! " They heard Voldemort scream.

"Accio!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle – Bloom quickly put her hand on the other handle. Bloom heard Voldemort's scream of fury at the same moment that she felt the jerk behind her navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was speeding them away in a whirl of wind and color… They were going back.

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Bloom was glancing at the ground when the portkey stopped moving, she was standing. Her hand was still touching the Cup's handle… it was quiet for a second before screams were heard. At first, she thought that they weren't able to escape Voldemort after all… until she looked up slowly. Her tired eyes stared her surroundings. They were back in the Quidditch field; just outside the maze… she could see people standing up to see them. She looked straight at the spot where she had been sitting so long ago. Sirius and Remus were stunned and their faces filled with fear and shock, not a moment later both of them – followed by Aurora – were running down the steps to get to them. She saw Cedric; his mouth open, as if he was saying something to Professor Dumbledore, they too were frozen until they all began to run to them; every professor and Ministry officer.

Bloom's body began to relax now that she knew the danger was past her for now. She closed her eyes… She was the first to hit the ground, Harry followed short after… she could hear people screaming, people calling her to wake up but the darkness took over her.

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Bloom was somewhere warm now, she felt… clean. But, her skin felt like it was rubbed harshly with a towel rag. Every pore felt wide open… she was tired but restless. She didn't want to wake up, not when she finally was able to rest… but she had to tell someone… tell Dumbledore… that Voldemort had returned. And yet, her body wouldn't let her… she tried to move… tried to listen to the outside world, she had to warn them… or Voldemort will win. She finally felt her arm twitch a bit… she forced on a fire inside her. It was a little flame, small enough to pass as a candle flame… with her mind; she made it bigger and bigger… until it engulfed her completely. She felt it wash away some scars and some pain but, not completely.

She was too drained to completely heal herself, she had to wait for that but, letting Dumbledore know about Voldemort couldn't.

She gasped when she was finally able to open her eyes. At first, she only saw blurry images and white, she looked around like a scared child – hoping to find someone to help her. She felt someone sit her up, she was scared at first since she didn't know who it was but, she realized the touch; it was Remus. She relaxed and let him pour a potion into her mouth; he tilted her head back so she could swallow easily.

The potion gave her strength, she was able to see better now. Remus patted her back gently to help her breathe easier. "How are you feeling? You only rested for an hour, get some sleep."

"Vold – Voldemort… he's back." She was met with silences. She looked up at him; his reaction was as she thought. He looked shocked and scared…

"She's telling the truth." Bloom tilted her head to see Sirius helping Harry sit up. "Voldemort, he – he set up a trap for us… use the cup as a portkey."

"Please explain Harry." Bloom heard Dumbledore's voice. Bloom looked around; she was in the hospital wing. Remus, Sirius and the Weasleys were there, and Professor Snape and Aurora. She could see the fear in everyone's eyes. Bloom wished that she didn't have to tell them, but it was the best course of action… they had to know.

"Cedric and I – wait a minute, where's Cedric?" Harry asked. "Is he okay?"

Dumbledore smiled, "Mr. Diggory is just fine… he had just arrived and told me what was happening when you two appeared. Gave him the shock of his life, I believe."

Cedric was okay, he was alive. Bloom thought. If he had been there, if he had not apparated when Bloom had ordered him too, he might have been… he would have been killed, for Voldemort had told Wormtail, 'Kill the spare." She was glad she was able to help save him… dying at such a young age would have been a tragic event for all of them. Bloom leaned on Remus as Harry relaxed again. Professor Snape stood near her bedside, every once in a while Bloom would catch him sneakily quick glances at her, making sure she wasn't in too much pain.

"Cedric and I took the hold of the cup at the same time because I told him too." Harry explained. "He wouldn't take it because I had saved him twice and I didn't want it because that meant more fame and I did not want any of that." Harry took a breath. "The cup was a portkey, we landed in some graveyard… and then Bloom was there." Everyone turned to looked at her once, before Harry continued, "it was like she was tied up with invisible rope to a headstone… it was Voldemort's father's grave. She shouted at us, ordering Cedric to leave and get help… it was a good thing he listened… if he didn't." Harry swallowed. "Wormtail would have killed him with Voldemort's wand."

"Wha – Wormtail was there?" Sirius asked.

Bloom nodded. "Yes, he was the one that tied us to the headstone and gagged us…" Remus and Sirius growled, "I don't know how I got there though, I was searching for something when someone came back me from behind… my attacker apparated us to the graveyard then he apparated away before I could see who it was." She looked at Harry to continue.

"Wormtail did some kind of potion, I don't know it and I can't remember what he said but I know what he used."

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son, Flesh of the servant willingly given you will revive your master, blood of the enemy… forcibly taken… you will… resurrect your foe." Bloom recited, she looked at the adults in the room "I don't think I'll ever forget that."

"He – Wormtail took some of your blood?" Professor Snape asked.

"Not mine… Harry's, if they hadn't been able to get it… Voldemort said that he would have used me… and then Harry and Voldemort dueled."

Nearly everyone gasped. "Our wands… connected I think." Harry explained. "Everyone that Voldemort killed… they appeared..." Harry swallowed; Bloom looked down as she felt the tears in her eyes began to burn. "Including Mum and Dad."

Remus's hold on Bloom tighten a bit, she could hear his heart beat increase. Sirius had covered his eyes with his palms; Aurora seemed to be rubbing Harry's back, trying to comfort him while Sirius tried to gain control of his emotions. Usually Harry wasn't a fan of people touching him, especially if it was someone he barely knew but Aurora was different. She had told them stories about their parents and even taught Bloom how to get Sirius to give her something she wanted – she didn't use it much, only if she needed something for school. Aurora felt like a real aunt should be, she and Mrs. Weasley were the close thing they had to a mother.

"Prior Incantatem" Dumbledore said. "The reverse spell, the last victims of the wand appeared." Bloom zoned out a bit, she thought back to her parents, she closed her eyes and remembered the echo of their voices, telling them that they loved them and that they would always love them. She felt like she could live again, she can still fight; she had her parents love and a reason to fight. She wasn't going to be a weak little girl that needed protection… she was going to help Harry defeat Voldemort.

"Bloom, you have to tell them or I will." Harry said.

Bloom bite her lip, she didn't want to talk about it – she didn't want to remember it. "I – I can't Harry."

"What are you two talking about?" Sirius asked.

Bloom shook her head as she felt herself tremble. And then she heard Harry speak, "Voldemort tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on me but," he swallowed again and stared at Bloom, "Bloom jumped in the way to save me… he got her twice."

Everyone gasped, Remus held Bloom closer to him… Professor Snape frozen and then quickly checked her over with some spell. He paled, "Its true…" he whispered. "She's been hit twice, for the limit amount until insanity."

"I – I couldn't let him get Harry, we all know Harry is the only one that has a chance at stopping him."

"That doesn't mean I want you to take a bullet for me every time Bloom!" Harry shouted. Everyone stayed where they were, none of them could really say anything. What could they say? They had just found out that a little girl sacrificed herself to protect her brother from the Cruciatus Curse. She literally had taken the curse for him, knowing that he was their only hope. She was willing to sacrifice herself for them – for Harry. It was bravery has many had not seen in years or at all.

It made them angry to know what she had gone through for all of their sake – it would not be in vaild.

"I will say it again," said Dumbledore. "You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight Harry, Bloom. You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. You have shouldered a grown wizard's burden and found yourself equal to it – and you have now given us all we have a right to expect. Now, you must rest."

"Professor, may I ask, do you have any idea of who had taken me?"

"I do know, shortly after you two arrived I noticed that Professor Moody wasn't here, it was strange to say the least. Professor Snape and I went to find him… it turns out that Professor Moody wasn't really Moody. It was Crouch Jr. it seems that his mother traded spots with him during her last visit at Azkaban. She died shortly after… he explained to us what he had done. The real Moody is now resting, like you two should be now."

Bloom nodded and sank back on her bed, she closed her eyes once again and let sleep take over.

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It felt like she had only slept five minutes when she heard shouting. The room was still dimly lit; she was sure it was still night time and had a feeling that she couldn't have been asleep very long.

Then she heard whispering around her.

"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!"

"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?"

Bloom opened her eyes blearily. She could see Mrs. Weasley and Bill close by. Mrs. Weasley was on her feet.

"That's Fudge's voice," she whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"

Now Bloom could hear them too: people shouting and running toward the hospital wing.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out -"

The doors were burst open, Bloom saw Sirius, Remus and Aurora jump up ready to snap at Cornelius Fudge.

Fudge came striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.

"He's not here," said Mrs. Weasley angrily. "This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

But the door opened, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward.

"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"

Bloom had never seen Professor McGonagall lose control like this. There were angry blotches of color in her cheeks, and hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury – "When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice; he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. "He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but -"

"My dear woman!" roared Fudge, who likewise looked angrier than Bloom had ever seen him, "as Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous -"

But Professor McGonagall's voice drowned Fudge's.

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," she screamed, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over, "it swooped down on Crouch and - and -"

Bloom felt a chill in her stomach as Professor McGonagall struggled to find words to describe what had happened. She did not need her to finish her sentence. She knew what the dementor must have done. It had administered its fatal kiss to Barty Crouch. It had sucked his soul out through his mouth. He was worse than dead.

"By all accounts, he is no loss!" blustered Fudge. "It seems he has been responsible for several deaths'."

"But he cannot now give testimony, Cornelius," said Dumbledore. He was staring hard at Fudge, as though seeing him plainly for the first time.

"He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people."

"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it?" blustered Fudge. "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "Those peoples deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."

Fudge looked as though someone had just swung a heavy weight into his face. Dazed and blinking, he stared back at Dumbledore as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. He began to sputter, still goggling at Dumbledore.

"You-Know-Who… returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore…"

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," said Dumbledore, "we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry and Bloom. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge, and Bloom was astonished to see a slight smile dawning on his face, "you - you can't seriously believe that You-Know-Who - back? Come now, come now… certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore…"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore steadily. "He witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office."

Dumbledore glanced around at Harry; who was now awake, but shook his head and said, "I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight."

Fudge's curious smile lingered. He too glanced at Harry, then looked back at Dumbledore, and said, "You are - er - prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?"

There was a moment's silence, which was broken by Sirius growling. Aurora grabbed his hand and held it tightly but she too looked ready to attack Fudge, if she was given the chance. "I too believe in Harry, Minister." Aurora stated looking like a person with a lot of power and ability. "I will tell my homeland of what has happened here, if you do not see what we are clearly telling you is truth then I'm afraid you're in for an investigation; you are not doing what you must to protect your people. Every threat of Voldemort must be looked into, I am sure you know that."

Fudge gapped at her, "Lady Aurora I – I am sure you don't mean that! You – know – who cannot – he was never powerful in your country but here, he nearly took over… he is not back! A lady of your stature should not be in contact with such nonsense!"

"It is not nonsense! And forget about stature! Stature does not make a person! You, Minister Fudge just sounded like Voldemort!" Aurora shouted. "I will inform the console of this, you will be failing the country and your duty if you do not listen to Dumbledore."

Sirius pulled her back and whispered something in her ear; Aurora calmed a bit but still looked ready to attack someone soon.

Fudge started to gap again, "I have had enough of this! Lady Aurora when you are thinking clearly you may return to the ministry if not – well that will be it, You – know – who is not back!"

Professor Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore and stood in front of Aurora, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.

"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff s too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."

Fudge stepped back from Snape too. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry." And he marched out the door.

"That – that – that man! I swear I should have cursed him!" Aurora shouted; she was still glaring at the door. "You know what, I think I will! I'm one of the few people that can get away with it! I'm going to do it!" Bloom saw Fred and George smile as they watch Sirius try to stop her, they had meet her once before and she had proved that she was not one to mess with. Fred and George had asked Bloom to grow up to be like Aurora one day.

"Aurora love, calm down. Attacking the git won't solve anything – though it would make me feel better." Sirius was saying.

"Let her attack the fool." Professor Snape said, "It might even help him put his head back on properly."

Bloom toned out the rest of the conversation, she stared in shock at Professor Snape's left arm. She couldn't believe it… she didn't want to believe it. How could her favorite Professor be a – a Death Eater? He wasn't evil, he wouldn't hurt muggle – borns, he had so many as students, so why? She was so shocked; she couldn't even cry… her lips trembled as she stared at him now. She stare at his face, begging – pleading he would explain it all to her. But, he avoided to look at her, he avoided her direction in general, though she knew that he knew she was asking – begging for answers.

"There is work to be done," Professor Dumbledore said. "Molly… am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?"

"Of course you can," said Mrs. Weasley. She was white to the lips, but she looked resolute. "We know what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride."

"Then I need to send a message to Arthur," said Dumbledore. "All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as shortsighted as Cornelius."

"I'll go to Dad," said Bill, standing up. "I'll go now."

"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry -"

"Leave it to me," said Bill.

He clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder, kissed his mother on the cheek, smiled sweetie at Bloom, pulled on his cloak, and strode quickly from the room.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore, turning to Professor McGonagall, "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come – Madame Maxime."

Professor McGonagall nodded and left without a word.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Professor Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready… if you are prepared…"

"I am," said Snape. He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely. Bloom wanted to say something but she couldn't, her head dropped down as Professor Snape left the room without turning back.

.

~.~

.

"I am so sorry I didn't get to Dumbledore fast enough." Cedric was apologizing yet again. "If only I had gotten there soon, I'm so sorry!"

"Cedric, for the thousandth time!" Harry shouted in sync with Bloom. "It wasn't your fault!"

"But I shouldn't have left! I should have stayed and helped you."

"If you had Cedric, Voldemort would have killed you!"

For the last week of school, Cedric had been trying to apologize for no reason at all. There were people looking at them more than normal. They entered the Great Hall together; Cedric shook Harry's hand and quickly hugged Bloom and went to his table. Harry and Bloom went to sit with the Weasleys, Hermione and Luna; who had asked Professor McGonagall if she could sit near them, to help Bloom.

The real Mad-Eye Moody was at the staff table now, his wooden leg and his magical eye back in place. He was extremely twitchy, jumping every time someone spoke to him. Moodys fear of attack was bound to have been increased by his ten-month imprisonment in his own trunk. Professor Karkaroff s chair was empty. Madame Maxime was still there. She was sitting next to Hagrid. They were talking quietly together. Further along the table, sitting next to Professor McGonagall, was Professor Snape. He looked at her with eye filled with some emotion she couldn't quite place.

"The end of another year, The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. Lord Voldemort has returned. A Death Eater following Voldemort's orders charmed the Trizwizard Cup into a portkey and kidnapped Harry and Bloom Potter on the night of the third task. Cedric Diggory also accompanied them, Bloom had asked him to get help, if Cedric had not have done what Bloom had asked him, Voldemort would have surely killed him. Cedric, himself has told him that he had barely managed to escape."

Everybody talked at once, whispering at each other and looking towards the three mentioned.

"I caution you all to be careful…"

Bloom's trunk was packed; Jiji was back in his cage on top of it. They all were waiting in the crowded entrance hall with the rest of their classmates for the carriages that would take them back to Hogsmeade station. It was another beautiful summer's day. Bloom and Harry supposed that Privet Drive would be hot and leafy; its flower beds a riot of color, when they arrived there that evening. The thought gave her no pleasure at all.

"'Arry!"

Bloom looked around. Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps into the castle to reach Harry; who was beside her. Beyond her, far across the grounds Bloom could see Hagrid helping Madame Maxime to back two of the giant horses into their harness. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off.

"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope," said Fleur as she reached Harry, holding out her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish."

"It's very good already," said Ron in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled. Ginny and Bloom rolled their eyes while Luna just smiled.

"Good-bye, 'Arry," said Fleur, turning to go. "It 'az been a pleasure meeting you!" Fleur ran off to her classmates.

"Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back," said Ron. "D' you reckon they can steer that ship without Karkaroff?"

"Karkaroff did not steer," said a gruff voice. "He stayed in his cabin and let us do the vork."

Krum had come to say good-bye to Hermione. "Could I have a vord?" he asked her.

"Oh… yes… all right," said Hermione, looking slightly flustered, and following Krum through the crowd and out of sight.

Bloom, Ginny and Luna smiled.

"You'd better hurry up!" Ron called loudly after her. "The carriages'll be here in a minute!"

He let Harry keep a watch for the carriages, however, and spent the next few minutes craning his neck over the crowd to try and see what Krum and Hermione might be up to. They returned quite soon. Ron stared at Hermione, but her face was quite impassive.

Boys

"Have you got a new headmaster yet?" said Harry

Krum shrugged. He held out his hand as Fleur had done, shook Harry's hand, and then Ron's. Ron looked as though he was suffering some sort of painful internal struggle. Krum had already started walking away when Ron burst out, "Can I have your autograph?"

Ginny, Luna and Bloom giggled.

Hermione turned away, smiling at the horseless carriages that were now trundling toward them up the drive, as Krum, looking surprised but gratified, and signed a fragment of parchment for Ron.

On the train, Luna sat by the window and made Bloom put her head on her lap. Luna played with her hair while Ginny played with Jiji. Harry decided to take a walk, Ron and Hermione followed him. Bloom figured that they were forming some kind of plan for the summer. Bloom was getting sleepy when she heard the door open, it was Abe. He looked relieved to have found her and yet very worried. "Hey Bloom" he said, "Want to take a walk before Harry comes back and tries to kill me?"

Bloom smiled, she looked at Luna first… silently asking her if it was okay. Luna smiled and nodded, "Go, I'll be here." Bloom waved goodbye at Luna and Ginny, Jiji jumped and purred as he rubbed against her leg and jumped back onto Ginny's lap.

Abe held her hand gently has they walked away. "I'm just glad almost everyone is asleep right now," Abe started. "Otherwise, we would be followed around, and you really don't need that right now." Bloom stayed quiet, she always felt comfortable around Abe, safe even when Harry wasn't around. Maybe it was because she was so used to him… back then they would argue for petty things and now here they were, crushing on each other and holding hands.

"Abe, I won't be able to contact you this summer… at all."

Abe sighed, "I know, I figured as much." He looked at her sadly. "I knew if Voldemort was to ever return, he would try to kill you and everyone around you… I knew that if that were to happen, we wouldn't be able to really talk or see each other much. Last summer, we barely saw each other because you move – not that moving was a bad thing, I knew you hate your relatives."

"I'm sorry." Bloom whispered. "I know you didn't sign up for all this."

"I knew what I was getting myself into Bloom." Abe quickly said. "I knew… I just wish I could have been able to help you. And I hate the fact that because of snake face – well I won't be able to see you this summer." He looked out the window as they walked by, "I wanted to take you out to eat somewhere, watch a film… maybe hang out at my place… even if it was for a little bit."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Bloom. You have a greater density that I could have ever known. I will help you though, as your friend, as your boyfriend and if we were to break up in the future… I will still happy you. I care about you Bloom; nothing is going to change that."

Bloom smiled and pecked his cheek. "You're the best, you know that?"

"Of course I do, you're just finally seeing it."

They separated way when Bloom noticed that Harry would be hunting her down soon, she walked back to her compartment. Luna gave her a look meaning; I want to play with your hair now, seeing how she had already played with Ginny's. Bloom sat down and soon Harry, Ron and Hermione joined them in the compartment.

They broke off their conversation about what action Dumbledore might be taking, even now, to stop Voldemort only when the lunch trolley arrived.

When Hermione returned from the trolley and put her money back into her schoolbag, she dislodged a copy of the Daily Prophet that she had been carrying in there. Harry looked at it, Bloom wasn't sure if he should, but Hermione, seeing him looking at it, said calmly, "There's nothing in there. You can look for yourself, but there's nothing at all. I've been checking every day. Just a small piece the day after the third task saying you won the tournament. They didn't even mention Voldemort. Nothing about any of it. If you ask me Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet."

"He'll never keep Rita quiet," said Harry. "Not on a story like this."

"Oh, Rita hasn't written anything at all since the third task," said Hermione in an oddly constrained voice. "As a matter of fact," she added, her voice now trembling slightly, "Rita Skeeter isn't going to be writing anything at all for a while. Not unless she wants me to spill the beans on her."

"What are you talking about?" said Ron.

"I found out how she was listening in on private conversations when she wasn't supposed to be coming onto the grounds," said Hermione in a rush.

"You got her, didn't you?" Bloom asked with a smile.

"How was she doing it?" said Harry at once.

"How did you find out?" said Ron, staring at her.

"Well, it was you, really, who gave me the idea Harry," she said.

"Did I?" said Harry, perplexed. "How?"

"Bugging," said Hermione happily.

Bloom smiled, that little word had now crushed that awful cow.

"But you said they didn't work -"

"Oh not electronic bugs," said Hermione. "No, you see… Rita Skeeter" - Hermiones voice trembled with quiet triumph - "is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn –"Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar out other bag. "into a beetle!"

"You're kidding," said Ron. "You haven't… she's not…"

"Oh yes she is," said Hermione happily, brandishing the jar at them.

Inside were a few twigs and leaves and one large, fat beetle. Bloom laughed, "You got her in a jar!"

"That's never - you're kidding -" Ron whispered, lifting the jar to his eyes.

"No, I'm not," said Hermione, beaming. "I caught her on the windowsill in the hospital wing. Look very closely, and you'll notice the markings around her antennae are exactly like those foul glasses she wears."

Bloom looked and saw that she was quite right.

"There was a beetle on the statue the night we heard Hagrid telling Madame Maxime about his mum!" Harry shouted

"Exactly," said Hermione. "And Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair after we'd had our conversation by the lake. And unless I'm very much mistaken, Rita was perched on the windowsill of the Divination class the day your scar hurt. She's been buzzing around for stories all year."

"When we saw Malfoy under that tree…" said Ron slowly.

"He was talking to her, in his hand," said Hermione. "He knew, of course. That's how she's been getting all those nice little interviews with the Slytherins. They wouldn't care that she was doing something illegal, as long as they were giving her horrible stuff about us and Hagrid."

Hermione took the glass jar back from Ron and smiled at the beetle, which buzzed angrily against the glass.

"I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London," said Hermione. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, you see, so she can't transform. And I've told her she's to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can't break the habit of writing horrible lies about people."

Smiling serenely, Hermione placed the beetle back inside her schoolbag.

The door of the compartment slid open.

"Very clever Granger," said Draco Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind him. All three of them looked more pleased with themselves, more arrogant and more menacing, than Bloom had ever seen them. "So," said Malfoy slowly, advancing slightly into the compartment and looking slowly around at them, a smirk quivering on his lips. "You caught some pathetic reporter, and Potter's Dumbledore's favorite boy again. Big deal."

His smirk widened. Crabbe and Goyle leered.

"Trying not to think about it, are we?" said Malfoy softly, looking around at them. "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?"

"Get out," said Harry.

"You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you, you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hang around with riffraff like this!" He jerked his head at Ron, and Hermione. "Too late now Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first!"

It was as though someone had exploded a box of fireworks within the compartment. Blinded by the blaze of the spells that had blasted from every direction, deafened by a series of bangs, Bloom blinked and looked down at the floor.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were all lying unconscious in the doorway. He, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Bloom and Hermione were on their feet, all of them having used a different hex. Nor were they the only ones to have done so.

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to," said Fred matter-of-factly, stepping onto Goyle and into the compartment. He had his wand out, and so did George, who was careful to tread on Malfoy as he followed Fred inside.

"Interesting effect," said George, looking down at Crabbe. "Who used the Furnunculus Curse?"

"Me," said Harry.

"Odd," said George lightly. "I used Jelly-Legs. Looks as though those two shouldn't be mixed. He seems to have sprouted little tentacles all over his face. Well, let's not leave them here, they don't add much to the decor."

"I've never been so happy to see you two." Bloom said as she sat up to make room for them.

"That hurts Bloom." George said, "That hurts right here." He pointed at his heart.

Ron, Harry, and George kicked, rolled, and pushed the unconscious Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle - each of whom looked distinctly the worse for the jumble of jinxes with which they had been hit - out into the corridor, then came back into the compartment and rolled the door shut.

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" said Fred, pulling out a pack of cards.

They were halfway through their fifth game when Harry asked the twins. "You going to tell us, then?" he said to George. "Who you were blackmailing?"

"Oh," said George darkly. "That."

"It doesn't matter," said Fred, shaking his head impatiently. "It wasn't anything important. Not now, anyway."

"We've given up," said George, shrugging.

But they kept on asking, and finally, Fred said, "All right, all right, if you really want to know… it was Ludo Bagman."

"Bagman?" said Harry sharply. "Are you saying he was involved in -"

"Nah," said George gloomily. "Nothing like that. Stupid git. He wouldn't have the brains."

"Well, what, then?" said Ron.

Fred hesitated, then said, "You remember that bet we had with him at the Quidditch World Cup? About how Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch?"

"Yeah," said Harry and Ron slowly.

"Well, the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots."

"So?"

"So," said Fred impatiently, "it vanished, didn't it? By next morning, it had gone!"

"But - it must've been an accident, mustn't it?" said Hermione.

George laughed very bitterly.

"Yeah, that's what we thought, at first. We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But nothing doing. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him about it at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us."

"In the end, he turned pretty nasty," said Fred. "Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything."

"So we asked for our money back," said George glowering.

"He didn't refuse!" gasped Hermione.

"That no – good prat!" Bloom shouted

"Right in one," said Fred.

"But that was all your savings!" said Ron.

"Tell me about it," said George. "'Course, we found out what was going on in the end. Lee Jordan's dad had had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He's lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?"

"How?" said Harry.

"He put a bet on you, mate," said Fred. "Put a big bet on you to win the tournament. Bet against the goblins."

"So that's why he kept trying to help me win!" said Harry. "Well - I did win, didn't I? So he can pay you your gold!"

"Nope," said George, shaking his head. "The goblins play as dirty as him. They say you drew with Diggory, and Bagman was betting you'd win outright. So Bagman had to run for it. He did run for it right after the third task."

George sighed deeply and started dealing out the cards again.

The rest of the journey passed pleasantly enough; the Hogwarts Express was pulling in at platform nine and three-quarters. The usual confusion and noise filled the corridors as the students began to disembark. Ron and Hermione struggled out past Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, carrying their trunks. George and Fred helped Ginny and Luna past Malfoy and his friends, Harry, however, stayed put, causing Bloom to crash into him. "What the? What is it Harry?"

"Fred - George - wait a moment."

The twins turned. Harry pulled open his trunk and drew out his Triwizard winnings. Bloom smiled, she knew what he was going to do… of course it was such a Harry thing to do at a time like this.

"Take it," he said, and he thrust the sack into George's hands.

"What?" said Fred, looking flabbergasted.

"Take it," Harry repeated firmly. "I don't want it."

"You're mental," said George, trying to push it back at Harry.

"No, I'm not," said Harry. "You take it, and get inventing. It's for the joke shop."

"He is mental," Fred said in an almost awed voice.

"Listen," said Harry firmly. "If you don't take it, I'm throwing it down the drain. I don't want it and I don't need it. But I could do with a few laughs. We could all do with a few laughs. I've got a feeling we're going to need them more than usual before long."

"Harry," said George weakly, weighing the money bag in his hands, "there's got to be a thousand Galleons in here."

"Yeah," said Harry, grinning. "Think how many Canary Creams that is."

The twins stared at him.

"Just don't tell your mum where you got it…"

"She just might kill Harry if she finds out and me for not stopping him." Bloom added.

"Harry," Fred began, but Harry pulled out his wand.

"Look," he said flatly, "take it, or I'll hex you. I know some good ones now. Just do me one favor, okay? Buy Ron some different dress robes and say they're from you."

Bloom laughed as she kicked Malfoy out of her way, Harry was right behind her. "Just two weeks and we'll be back with Sirius and Remus."

"I know; I heard that Aurora was something to tell us but, it'll have to wait until she comes back from The States… I wonder what she wants to tell us."

"I don't know Bloom. I just hope its good news."

Uncle Vernon was waiting beyond the barrier. Mrs. Weasley was close by him. She hugged Harry very tightly when she saw him and whispered in his ear, "I think Dumbledore will let you come to us later in the summer. Keep in touch, Harry." Then she turned to Bloom to give her her own bear hug, "Do keep him out of trouble."

Bloom smiled.

Sirius and Remus were talking to Uncle Vernon, whatever they were saying to him, made him pale and his eyes widen with fear. He _gentle _asked Harry and Bloom to hurry up as he walked fast to the car. Sirius and Remus turned to them, "Don't worry, two weeks will pass by quickly. Try not to get in trouble and we'll owl you tonight."

"I promise to keep Harry out of trouble."

"And I promise to keep Bloom safe."

They hugged one last time before turning to catch up with Uncle Vernon but then, Bloom turned around and said – quite loudly, "I think you and Aurora make a cute couple, Sirius!"

Sirius blushed red as Remus burst into laughter, the Weasleys were trying not to laugh at him but Fred and George were failing to do so, in fact they clapped and shouted agreements and said that they couldn't wait for more marauder children to come. Laughing as Sirius tried to deny everything, Bloom walked side by side with her brother, back to the muggle world.

**The End**

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**~.~**

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**MUST READ THIS A/N **

**Don't worry it's not really the end, I will be making a sequ****el to this story; it'll be called Bloom Potter and the Ancients… I think. I don't know when it'll be up, maybe in two weeks or so. I don't know yet. But if you review I might just tell you. Please thank my Beta Mira SSBS**


	62. Sequel Up Now!

Sequel up now! Go check it out! Please continue to read my story! Hope to you see guys in Bloom Potter and the Ancients!


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